Choosing to wear non-prescription Halloween Contact Lenses for your costume this year could haunt you for life, not just for Halloween!
What You Should Know
Any type of contact lens is a medical device that rests on the cornea, the transparent dome of tissue that covers the iris, the area of the eye that determines your eye color. You should never purchase or wear any contact lenses without a valid prescription from a qualified eye care professional due to the risk of bacterial infections and other potential issues from ill-fitting or contaminated lenses!
Purchasing contact lenses without a prescription is prohibited by law for exactly this reason. You still need a prescription for decorative lenses that will fit, even if you don’t need any vision correction. Without requesting a prescription, vendors who offer cosmetic or special-effect lenses as accessories or jewelry are breaking the law and putting customers in danger.
Visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website to learn more and file a report about the unauthorized sale of these lenses. Additionally, they issue a strong warning against wearing circle or anime-style lenses, stating “don’t buy them and don’t expect your doctor to prescribe them.”
Safety Risks
Visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website to learn more and file a report about the unauthorized sale of these lenses. Additionally, they issue a strong warning against wearing circle or anime-style lenses, stating “don’t buy them and don’t expect your doctor to prescribe them.” These larger-than-normal lenses, which give the wearer a wide-eyed, doll-like appearance, have not been approved by the FDA.
Severe eye damage brought on by improper contact lens fitting includes:
- conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- corneal scratches
- corneal infection (an ulcer or sore on the cornea)
- decreased vision
- blindness
The FDA advises against purchasing lenses from:
- street vendors
- salons or supply stores for cosmetics
- boutiques
- flea markets
- specialty shops
- Halloween stores
- record or video stores
- convenience stores
- beach side shops
- or nonprescription only websites on the internet.
Contact Lens Hygiene
When using any type of contact lenses, carefully follow the care and cleaning instructions. Before putting lenses in your eye, make sure they are clean and that you are doing so with clean hands. Make sure to only use a solution made specifically for this purpose to clean your lenses. Cleaning them with water or by putting them in your mouth could have serious consequences. If you experience any discomfort, hazy vision, or discharge, consult an eye doctor. It’s much scarier to harm your eyes for a costume than to experience any Halloween frights.
For more helpful eye care and vision care tips, please visit our main blog page.
Source: https://healthcare.utah.edu
Image by Benjamin Balazs from Pixabay