Are Costume Contact Lenses Safe? What Your Eye Doctor Wants You to Know About the Risks

It’s Spooky Season! As you plan your costume for all the fun this month, you might be considering decorative contact lenses, or costume contacts. They might seem harmless- after all, you can find a ton of online shops with every design to choose from. But in reality, decorative lenses can lead to infections, blindness, and permanent vision loss. Here’s why:

It is ILLEGAL for companies to sell contacts without a prescription. 

You must be required to upload a valid contact lens prescription. This is because a prescription is written ONLY after a doctor evaluates that they fit your eyes properly. It’s impossible to do this with Halloween contacts sold online!

If the contacts are not evaluated on your eyes, the lens may not fit properly, meaning it could cause issues like decreased oxygen to the eyes. This can lead to swelling and in extreme cases new blood vessel growth. Both of these can cause a decrease in vision.

Many online manufacturers do NOT sell FDA-approved lenses

FDA approval means the lens material and the manufacturing process have been tested for safety and side effects- like infections. Without FDA approval, there is no understanding of a lens’ safety profile. Now that’s scary!

Many online manufacturers, without FDA approval, may not have sanitary production facilities. Their packaging may not be sterile, and their lenses have not gone through rigorous testing. This opens the door for bacterial infections. These types of infections in the eye can cause permanent scarring and permanent blindness. It is not worth the risk of losing your vision just for an accessory to your costume!

Beware of websites claiming their contacts are FDA approved. Many companies use bait-and-switch tactics. They might have one particular lens that received approval but the rest of the lenses they sell do not. We have also seen companies advertise FDA approval, but when looking them up on the FDA website, no approval for them is found.

Contact lenses are medical devices- proper training is necessary before anyone starts wearing contacts

It is important to understand that contact lenses are medical devices that sit on the eyes. If you’re considering Halloween contacts and have never worn contacts before, it is dangerous to start wearing lenses without proper training on how to use them. At our office, every new contact lens wearer receives thorough training on how to insert, remove, clean, and care for their lenses. Without knowing how to properly care for contacts, you risk infection and potential scarring and blindness.

Important contact lens reminders:

• Per Ohio law, contact lens prescriptions need to be renewed yearly.

• Online contact lens “exams” fail to evaluate how the lenses fit on your eyes- this step is so important!

• They also fail to ensure you can properly use and care for contacts.

• Steer clear of contacts you can purchase online, at a convenient store, or a gas station without a valid prescription. These lenses are being sold illegally.
   

If you wear contact lenses and experience redness, pain, light sensitivity, decreased vision, or general discomfort, remove the lenses IMMEDIATELY and call our office for a same day appointment.