EYE experts at a Hampshire hospital have discovered a drug that could make eyelash extensions a thing of the past.

A year-long trial carried out at Southampton General Hospital has found glaucoma drug bimatoprost can help boost growth and prominence of eyelashes.

It means it can help patients who struggle with eyelash growth or people who have lost them due to chemotherapy.

The study of 368 people found length could increase by up to 2mm and thickness could increase by up to 0.5mm.

And in patients who lost eyelashes in chemotherapy length increased by 2mm and thickness by almost 1mm.

Parwez Hossain, consultant ophthalmologist at Southampton General and an associate professor of ophthalmology at the University of Southampton, co-led the study, which was based at the NIHR Wellcome Trust Southampton Clinical Research Facility.

He said: “This study shows bimatoprost is a safe and effective treatment for eyelash growth over a sustained period of time for anyone affected by poor eyelash length, thickness and darkness.

“It also offers, for the first time, a viable, rapid treatment option for patients who have suffered eyelash loss as a result of chemotherapy, which is something we know has a strong negative impact on patients' psychological wellbeing.”

The study was published online by the British Journal of Dermatology and is the first long-term investigation into the drug's safety and effectiveness as a treatment.