Lumify Eye Drops Are the Beauty Product You Didn't Know You Needed for Your Wedding

The Product

So what makes Lumify different from other common eye drops like Visine and Clear Eyes? They all work by constricting the blood vessels on the surface of the eye, making the eyes appear whiter. According to Dr. Jovi Boparai, a practicing ophthalmologic surgeon and founder of eye care brand CorneaCare, the key difference is the type of blood vessels they act on. 

“Clear Eyes and Visine constrict the arteries, which carry oxygenated blood to the eyes. This deprives the ocular surface of oxygen and key nutrients. When one stops using Clear Eyes and Visine, the nutrient-deprived ocular surface stimulates the arteries to ‘over-dilate,’ leading to rebound redness that is more prominent than the initial redness being treated,” says Dr. Bopari. “Lumify, on the other hand, constricts the veins, which carry deoxygenated blood that is not nutrient rich. One gets the same affect as Clear Eyes and Visine while potentially minimizing the rebound redness and tolerance.”

In other words, you can use Lumify without fear of making your eyes even more red. While some people may experience some minor side effects like itching or burning, Dr. Bopari says Lumify Eye Drops are safe to use. Just test them out first before the big day.

The Results

I applied the drops on a morning when my eyes were looking particularly red. To see the full effect, I added the drops to one eye to see how it compared to the other. I rarely use eyedrops, so I was a little nervous about not stabbing myself in the eye. But I found it fairly easy to get the hang of it—you only need one drop—and there was no itchiness or irritation. My eye didn’t even water.

With a timer set on my phone, I watched as my eye magically turned white in less than a minute. Seriously, I wasn’t even done with my makeup, but my eye was ready to go. If you wear contact lenses, you should first apply the eye drops on your naked eye, wait 10 minutes or so, and then put in your contacts.

What I like most about the effect is that it still looks natural. You know when you see someone with bleached teeth and it’s almost blinding? That’s not the case. Still in comparison with my untreated eye, there was a noticeable difference. Eventually I added Lumify to my other eye. I couldn’t help but notice how my eyes looked brighter and bigger on my Zoom calls and in a few mid-day selfies. The effect is supposed to last up to eight hours, and after applying the drops in the morning, my whites were still bright as I went out to dinner. 

While I don’t think it’s necessary to use these every day—and you shouldn’t; if your eyes are constantly red, Dr. Bopari recommends getting them professionally checked in case there is a larger health issue. I think they are incredibly handy to have for special occasions where you really want your eyes to pop. Especially if you know you’ll be traveling, drinking, and/or shedding some tears—all elements of wedding festivities—these will be a life saver.

Why Trust Brides

Emily Cieslak is an Assistant Commerce Editor and writes about all things beauty and fashion. After receiving a sample of Lumify Eye Drops she decided to test them out to see if they actually are worth the hype. To get more context on how they work, she interviewed Dr. Jovi Boparai, a practicing ophthalmologic surgeon and founder of eye care brand CorneaCare.