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The trendy eyeliner look of models such as Cara Delevingne and Kylie Jenner could lead to eye infections and blurred vision, according to scientists.

Millions of women could be risking discomfort and even contamination by copying the current craze of applying lots of liner to create "big eyes" with a "feline flick" for effect.

That is because it means applying eyeliner beneath the line of eyelashes where tiny particles get into the eyes, said university researchers.

It is particularly bad for those who wear contact lenses because the particles stick to the lenses instead of getting washed out by the eye's natural defences, they found.

Eye specialist Dr Alison Ng, now of Canada's University of Waterloo, began the study when she was at Cardiff University for the journal Eye and Contact Lens Science and Clinical Practice.

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She found women who apply eyeliner on the inner eyelid run a 15 to 30 per cent higher risk of contaminating the eye - leading to infection, blurred vision or irritation.

Eyeliner particles from below the lash line "migrate" into the thin film coating protecting the eye within five minutes of being applied.

Women always run the risk of getting bits of make up, mascara or eyeliner in their eyes, particularly if they are applying it in a hurry such as on the train.

But the researchers noticed the migration happened a lot quicker when eyeliner was applied to the inner eyelid, which happens with a variety of current fashion trends.

Dr Ng said: "We noticed that the make-up migration happened quicker and was greater when eyeliner was put on the inner lid margin."

In many cases, most of the particles wash away within two hours but they can stick to contact lenses causing greater discomfort and are worse for sensitive or dry eyes.

And it is worse if eyeliner is continuously being applied because tiny particles are allowed to then build up, said Dr Ng. This is because many of the ingredients of eyeliner, such as oils, silicones, gums and waxes are designed to make the product stick so it adheres to eyelids.

Dr Ng added: "People who wear contact lenses are most likely to notice some problems. If they have eyeliner stuck to their lenses, increasing deposits might cause vision disruption as the lens becomes cloudier."

She advised: "If you thoroughly sharpen your pencil eyeliner before each application and get rid of the stuff that's stuck to the end, you'll have a fresh tip which can help prevent infection.

"With twist-up eyeliner, cut some off the end before each use. And always make sure to fully remove eye makeup before bed."

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