Those decorative contact lenses you bought to spice up your Halloween costume may be scarier than you thought! They come in a wide variety of crazy colors and styles to change the appearance of your eye. Even though Halloween is over now, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants consumers to be aware of the dangerous side effects that could potentially haunt them forever.
Halloween Costume with Decorative Contact Lenses. Image source: Flickr
These contact lenses are sold at many different places such as: Halloween stores, boutiques, salons, novelty stores, the internet, and flea markets. But according to the FDA, they are not considered cosmetics or over-the-counter products. They are regulated medical devices and selling them without a prescription is against the law.
Different Types of Decorative Contact Lenses. Image source: Lens-Saver
Dr. Bernard Lepri, an FDA optometrist said, “The danger isn’t with the contacts themselves. It’s the way people use them improperly.” So, in order to safely buy them, many precautionary steps must be taken:
1) You need to get an eye exam from an optometrist or ophthalmologist. This is
important, regardless of whether or not you think you have 20/20 vision.
2) You need to get a valid prescription for the lenses. This must include the
brand name, lens measurements, and an expiration date.
3) You must buy your lenses from a vendor that requires a prescription.
Otherwise, you are buying them illegally.
4) You must follow the directions provided for cleaning, disinfecting, and
wearing the lenses. This is very important in order to prevent any bacterial
infections from occurring.
5) You must see your eye doctor right away if you notice any signs of redness, eye pain, or decrease in vision.
Unfortunately, most people don’t follow those steps, since you can just buy the lenses over-the-counter. Also, Dr. Lepri said, “Most people believe that decorative lenses do not require the same level of care or consideration as a standard contact lens, but this is far from the truth.”
Standard Contact Lens. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Consequently, if those precautionary steps are not followed, you could cause serious damage to your eye, including:
– Corneal abrasion: scratches on the cornea (the transparent tissue that
covers the colored part of your eye)
– Corneal infection
– Conjunctivitis (also known as pink eye)
– Decreased vision or blindness
But don’t expect your eye doctor to prescribe any over-the-top circle lenses just yet! The FDA has not approved those.
Below is a video showing how detrimental decorative circle contact lenses are to your eyes.
References:
-http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/news/20131024/halloween-contact-lenses-can-be-horror-story-for-eyes
-http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm275069.htm
-Angelica Reyes
