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Question: Is there a safe way to wear Halloween Contact Lenses with my costume this year?

Dr. Clay Answers:

Colored and decorative (or special effect) contact lenses can be a really fun and effective addition to a Halloween costume. There are special effect contact lenses available in almost any imaginable color or design. As fun as they can be, however, decorative contact lenses can pose significant risks to eye health if they are not obtained from a reputable source and fit correctly.

Only With a Prescription

Even if they do not have a power to correct vision, decorative lenses can only be legally acquired with a doctor’s prescription. Many web sites, beauty supply stores, and Halloween stores may advertise that they have decorative Halloween contact lenses for sale without a prescription, but the seller can face serious fines and penalties for illegal sale of contacts. The lenses that are sold without a prescription are often not FDA approved lenses and could be made of materials that have not been adequately tested on human eyes.

Wearing decorative contact lenses that are illegally purchased without a doctor’s prescription could result in scratches to the front of the eye, bacterial infections, allergic reactions, and potentially could lead to scarring that causes vision loss. The best way to avoid these dangerous complications and to safely wear decorative contact lenses is to see your eye doctor for an eye health examination and contact lens evaluation. Your doctor will be sure that the decorative lenses that are prescribed for you are FDA approved for use on the eye and that the lenses fit your eyes appropriately. Once you have the prescription for your decorative lenses and you’ve bought them, be sure to follow these tips to ensure safe wearing:

Tips for Safely Wearing Halloween Lenses:

  • Replace the contacts when recommended.
  • Do not sleep in them.
  • Carefully wash your hands before handling the lenses.
  • Clean and store them with the appropriate multi-purpose contact lens solution. Never reuse the same solution to store or clean the lenses. Do not use water, saliva, saline or eye drops to clean or store the lenses.
  • Do not swim or wear contact lenses in a hot tub.

source: “8 DAILY EYE CARE TIPS TO KEEP YOUR VISION AT ITS BEST.”  Lenscrafters.com  Lens Crafters. Web. Oct. 17th, 2017.

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