Bilateral corneal injury after face-paint application to upper eyelids

Abstract

A 40-year-old woman with no known medical conditions or allergies presented with severely painful, watery eyes and blurred vision. She reported topical application of face-paint onto both upper eyelids prior to attending a Halloween party. She subsequently noticed a burning sensation, epiphora and misty vision within a few hours. On examination, bilateral large corneal epithelial defects were highlighted with fluorescein dye under cobalt-blue light. Antibiotic ointment, mydriatic and sodium ascorbate 10% eye-drops were given, and patient was advised to keep the eyelids shut to promote healing. No corneal defects were visible by day 4 and the patient was discharged with vision recovering to normal levels.