u/steveluc

Has anyone here developed dry eye from light retinoids despite never applying them near the eyes?

I mean retinAL 0.03% or 0.05%, not tretinoin

I'm curious about people who knew about the risks before starting and who were careful to stay completely outside the orbital area, applying it to the forehead, cheeks, and chin.

I've seen a lot of claims along the lines of "retinoids can travel up to 2 inches laterally, so keep them well away from your eyes" or that topical retinoids can be absorbed systemically and somehow affect the meibomian glands that way. But as far as I read, the science doesn't seem to support those claims.