Can a person with eye problems use hair dyes safely?

Q: My mother suffers from retinitis pigmentosa. She wants to apply hair dye but we have heard that hair dyes affect eyes and should not be applied by persons who have some eye problems. Is it true or just a myth?

A:It is possible for the patient to use hair dye, as this is not known tocause any further deterioration in the status of retinitis pigmentosa. Theonly precaution to be taken is to ensure that the chemicals do not enter theeyes as they cause a lot of irritation and redness (chemical injury). Ifthat occurs, the person should thoroughly wash the eyes and seek the opinionof an eye specialist.