Eye doctor creates mascara to combat a painful issue thousands face - as she reveals the makeup mistakes that can lead to permanent vision loss

Dr Beltz is the Australasian Society for Cataract & Refractive Surgeons PresidentShe developed a mascara that won't cause issues for sensitive eyes It is a common problem, especially with the amount of office workers READ MORE:  How glasses could be making your vision WORSE

Dr Jacqueline Beltz is the Melbourne-based founder of OKKIYO. She's also the current Co-President of the Australasian Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgeons

An ophthalmologist has launched a revolutionary high performance mascara that can be used on sensitive/dry eyes without causing redness, itchiness or painful side effects.

Dr Jacqueline Beltz, the Melbourne-based founder of OKKIYO, came up with the idea after years as an eye surgeon. As a self-confessed beauty buff, she hated the idea of patients being told to avoid makeup just because they had sensitivity.

'I love the way makeup makes me feel and I truly believe that it can be even more important to feel powerful and in control when we have a sensitivity or a health concern,' Dr Beltz told FEMAIL.

'Going through ophthalmology training, makeup was never really discussed and it was basically frowned upon. Only 23 per cent of ophthalmologists in Australia and New Zealand are female.

'It can be difficult, embarrassing or perceived to be not important enough for people with sensitive eyes to speak to their eye doctor about makeup.'

A 'closet entrepreneur'. Dr Beltz wanted to design a line of sensitive products for eyes, given there is a line for almost every other sensitive area

Dr Beltz said most doctors tell their patients 'just don't wear make up' - a piece of advice that makes her sad.

'It can be completely fine to wear make up for most people with sensitive eyes, but it is of course difficult to really understand which products are okay and which are not and how they should be applied.'

So she decided to come up with her own solution.

A 'closet entrepreneur'. Dr Beltz wanted to design a line of sensitive products for eyes, given there is a line for almost every other sensitive area.

'I started with mascara because it's the first product that people with sensitive eyes stop wearing and, arguably, the one product that many women desperately want to wear,' she said.

Not only can eye rubbing contribute to the formation of wrinkles, but it can also exert pressure on the cornea, the clear window at the front of the eye. This pressure can weaken the cornea over time, potentially leading to permanent vision problems

It took her three years to launch Prioriteyes mascara under her brand Okkiyo. She worked with two different groups of chemists and did extra, independently run ophthalmology testing to make sure the mascara was very well tolerated by those with sensitive eyes.

'My accessibility features also caused a lot of delay - it was really difficult and time consuming to find the square tubes, let alone made out of recycled materials and the braille was tough to get right,' she said.

But it was worth it, with the mascara an instant success.

The $49.50 mascara ticks every box - it's clinically proven to be suitable for those with sensitive eyes and it's so high performance it's akin to Dr Beltz's favourite brands.

'I was used to wearing the high end brands and I didn't want to take a step down, but more importantly, I didn't want my patients or customers to feel that they had to compromise to use the 'eye safe' or 'doctor' brand mascara,' she said.

'Now that it's launched I'm really pleased that I had this high expectation - I think this is why many professional make up artists are enjoying the product.'

To create the game-changing buy, Dr Beltz worked with a team of scientists to avoid common irritants and allergens and ingredients such as alcohols that might further dry out one's tear film.

She also included more nourishing and conditioning ingredients like manuka honey.

'It's a lovely Australian ingredient that has a lot of history in the medical and dry eye space,' she said.

'The final product is 90 per cent natural, lengthening and volumising and, perhaps most importantly, stays put all day, without smudging with watery eyes or eye drops but without being waterproof.

'Waterproof mascara can be quite irritating for sensitive eyes because of the alcohols and ingredients that it takes to dry the mascara and keep it on and also the strong removers required to take it off. So, my mascara comes off super easily at the end of the day, without the need to rub the eyes.'

To create the revolutionary buy Dr Beltz worked with a team of scientists to avoid common irritants and allergens and ingredients such as alcohols that might further dry out one's tear film

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Symptoms of dry eye include scratchy, gritty, itchy, burning, red, sore or watery eyes. Sometimes vision can be blurred in between blinks which is common in office environments.

Many people have sensitive eyes and dry eye is one of the most common causes; seven per cent of adult Australians have dry eye and that number increases to 57 per cent over the age of 50.

Dry eye is not the only cause of sensitive eyes. Many other people suffer allergies, wear contact lenses, have undergone eye surgery or have other eye conditions such as blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids), glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration.

Many people with sensitive eyes might struggle to wear eye makeup. It might be that the make up further irritates their sensitivities due to glitter, flakes or drying or irritating ingredients, or it might just be that their watery or itchy eyes or eye drops leave them with smudged or panda eyes by the end of the day.

Many people have sensitive eyes and dry eye is one of the most common causes; seven per cent of adult Australians have dry eye and that number increases to 57 per cent over the age of 50

Using typical mascaras when you suffer from dry eyes, sensitivity, or other eye conditions can lead to irritation or other concerns.

'Firstly, many regular mascaras contain ingredients that can be irritating to sensitive eyes, exacerbating discomfort and potentially causing heaviness or itching,' Dr Beltz said.

'Some of the ingredients such as alcohols can further dry out the tear film, therefore exacerbating symptoms of conditions such as dry eye syndrome. Additionally, these mascaras often lack conditioning properties, leaving lashes dry and brittle over time.

'Moreover, typical mascaras may smudge or create the dreaded 'panda eyes' effect, especially if eyes become watery throughout the day or if eye drops are required.

'This may lead to the consumer choosing waterproof mascara to avoid some of these side effects, but this can further dry out the tear film and removing waterproof mascara can pose its own challenges.'

The need for stronger makeup removers to effectively dissolve stubborn or waterproof mascara can irritate eyes, leading to discomfort, dryness and potential inflammation.

'I aim to change the narrative by not only providing suitable and well tested products, but also by educating the community as well as my colleagues about how to safely wear and recommend eye make up in the setting of eye sensitivities,' Dr Beltz said.

'Make up is fun, empowering and a form of self expression. I understand that sometimes it's even more important to feel powerful, ready and awake when you have a sensitivity or a health concern, or when you're just not feeling so great.'