Shirley Potter goes blind after using an expired mascara

A grandmother claims she is now legally blind after using an expired mascara.

Adelaide grandmother Shirley Potter contracted an eye infection after she used a mascara that had been sitting in her makeup drawer for 20 years.

Unaware that the makeup had an expiry date, Ms Potter thought there wouldn’t be any issue using the mascara.

By the time she discovered that it had given her an eye infection, it was too late.

Ms Potter is expected to completely lose her eyesight within three years.

Sally Nolan is among a string of experts warning Australians not to sacrifice their health for vanity. 

‘A general rule of thumb is that product that you put around your eyes, they generally last about three to six months,’ she told Yahoo!7. 

Some of the issue is around lack of awareness, while others are concerned that even if you’re looking for the expiry dates, it might be hidden away. 

Dermatologist Dr Warren Weightman believes the industry needs greater regulation.

Ms Potter is expected to completely lose her eyesight within three years after using a mascara that had been expired for 20 years

‘I think part of the problem is that if you look at a lot of cosmetics they don’t have expiry dates on them or they’re not clear or they’ve been rubbed off, so you may not know when the product expires,’ he said. 

Australians spend $22 billion a year on beauty products, with a large portion of that being on cosmetics.

While the household items might make it difficult to tell when they are expired, experts say the safest thing to do if unsure is just throw it out.

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