According to Kaskade, the greatest DJ of our time (my opinion and my opinion only), eyes are the windows to the soul. My eyes, however? A little gnarly sometimes. I don't wear contact lenses or glasses, and I have pretty great vision, but I do deal with redness in my eyes, especially if I've been drinking or suffering from a lack of sleep. While curling my lashes and swiping on a few layers of mascara can work wonders for my look, adding in a few eye drops always seems to help as well.
My drops of choice? The Lumify Eye Drops ($24). I initially heard about these eye drops from TikTok, when they went viral for brightening people's eyes in under a minute, but it was the fact that celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Hailey Bieber are fans that got me to add the product to my cart and actually check out. Although it took me a while to hop on the train, I've been using them for the last few months and I now never leave home without them.
Keep reading to see my full review, and hear what an ophthalmologist thinks of the eye drops.
About the Lumify Eye Drops
- Lumify is an FDA-approved over-the-counter eye drop that contains 0.025% brimonidine tartrate.
- According to Diane Hilal-Campo, MD, a certified ophthalmologist and founder of twenty/twenty beauty, "brimonidine tartrate works by constricting blood vessels in the eye, making them appear whiter and brighter."
- The drops come in two sizes, 0.25 ounces and 0.08 ounces.
What I Like About the Lumify Eye Drops
When I've used other eye drops in the past, I've experienced redness shortly after using them, which, according to Dr. Hilal-Campo, is called "rebound" redness. "Unlike traditional decongestant redness-relieving drops like Visine, which work by causing vasoconstriction of the arteries, Lumify works on a different receptor of the eye and causes vasoconstriction of the veins," Dr. Hilal-Campo says. This means that Lumify drops won't cause any rebound redness that can come with using other brands, which is a major plus.
My eyes immediately look brighter and whiter after use, and they also look wider. I have a few red veins in the inner corners of my eyes, and whenever I use these drops, they instantly go away. I've also gotten a few comments from friends whenever I use them on nights out because the difference is so noticeable.
How to Use the Lumify Eye Drops
The brand recommends inserting one drop into the affected eye every six to eight hours, and not to use the product more than four times a day. I typically only use the eyedrops once a day a few times a week - usually when I'm heading out to dinner or a date.
However, Dr. Hilal-Campo says that although the manufacturer says you can use them up to four times a day, she would only recommend these drops for special occasions such as weddings or when you are having portraits taken. "This is a watered-down version of a longtime-used glaucoma eye drop that has a higher concentration of brimonidine, which used only twice a day is known to cause an idiosyncratic bad allergic reaction in up to 25 percent of users," she explains.
If you have chronic red eyes, Dr. Hilal-Campo suggests seeing an eye doctor to get to the root cause of the redness, rather than temporarily correcting the symptom.
What to Consider Before Trying the Lumify Eye Drops
The Lumify eye drops are meant to be used by those over the age of 5. If you're someone who wears contacts, you should know that you have to take them out before inserting the drops in your eyes, and you also have to wait 10 minutes before putting them back in after using Lumify. I don't wear contacts, so this wasn't an issue for me, but it's something to keep in mind, because it's a bit time-consuming.
If you want to use other products with Lumify, you also must wait five minutes between each product. Also, in addition to not using them more than four times daily (according to the manufacturer), they should not be used if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Where Are the Lumify Eye Drops Available?
The Lumify drops are available on Target.com, Amazon.com, and your local drugstore.
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