This Halloween, are you planning to buy novelty contact lenses to give your zombie or vampire costume that extra pop? Beware: Those spooky lenses can pose frightening risks to your eye health.
“There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to contact lenses,” warns Aaron Weingeist, MD, a board-certified ophthalmologist in Seattle, Washington. “We all have eyes of different shapes and sizes.”
Wearing contact lenses that aren’t properly fitted can result in:
- Scratches on the cornea, which covers the iris and pupil and lets light enter the eye
- Bacterial infections such as keratitis, which occurs when the cornea becomes inflamed and swells
- Corneal ulcers, or open sores on the cornea
- Permanent vision loss
The American Academy of Ophthalmology also warns that many of the contact lenses sold in Halloween shops, salons, gas stations, and online don’t meet federal health and safety standards. Some may contain chemicals that can damage your eyes, leading to infection and serious vision issues.
Safety tips for novelty contact lenses
If colored contacts are an absolute must for your Halloween costume, first seek an eye exam from a licensed eyecare professional, such as an ophthalmologist. Do this even if you have perfect vision. They will determine the right size and fit of the contacts and then write you a prescription.
Then, follow these tips:
- Only purchase FDA-approved colored contact lenses from a seller who requires a prescription. It’s illegal for any contact lens to be sold without one.
- Remember to take your lenses out at night—especially to go to sleep. When you take them out, always store them in contact solution, rather than tap water.
- Don’t forget to follow the instructions for cleaning, disinfecting, and wearing your contact lenses. Never share them with other people.
- If you develop signs of a possible eye infection like redness, pain, swelling, or discharge, see your eye doctor immediately.
Remember to steer clear of “anime” or circle lenses, which aren’t approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
Don’t let contact lenses turn Halloween into a horror story. Take the time to see an eyecare professional first.
