Beware Decorative Contact Lenses!
While cat eyes or red lenses may seem fun and festive, no costume is worth injuring your eyes. Your vision can be damaged by non-prescription contact lenses. A poor fit may lead to:
- Corneal scratches
- Corneal sores
- Infection
- Pink eye
- Scarring
- Blindness (in extreme cases)
According to the FTC, it is illegal for anyone to sell you contact lenses without getting a copy of your prescription or calling your eye doctor to verify it.
Considering over-the-counter contacts for your 2019 costume? We urge you not to do it! Schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist like Dr. Chris Walton if you want lenses for a costume or for other fashion-oriented reasons. Since there is not enough time for that appointment for Halloween 2019, you’ll need to wait until next year.
What to Look Out for
Don’t purchase decorative eye lenses from costume stores. Don’t ever purchase lenses that come pre-made, packaged and sold as one-size-fits-all. Don’t buy from any seller that doesn’t require your prescription. Contact lenses must be made from FDA-approved materials. While it may seem that there are endless options once you do a quick Google search for Halloween lenses, the fact is that most of these are not good options at all. If you ever buy this type of fashionable or colored lens, it must be from a legitimate company requiring your vision prescription.
Proper Contact Lens Wear and Care
Care and cleanliness is important when it comes to all contact lenses. Proper care helps you avoid infection and other eye health problems. While you may throw out your prescription decorative lenses, your normal lenses require the following measures:
- Wash your hands before inserting and removing contact lenses
- Don’t ever share contact lenses with another person
- Use lens solution to clean your contacts – never water or other liquid
- Don’t store the contacts in water
- Store in new solution at least every 7 days
- Don’t mix new solution with old
- Don’t sleep in your contact lenses unless instructed to do so by your eye doctor
- Replace your lenses as instructed by your doctor
- Go to your regularly scheduled eye exams
If you experience eye pain, swelling, blurred vision or other eye symptoms that concern you, call Dr. Walton. Addressing the issue as soon as possible will get you back on the road to optimal eye health.
Schedule Your Next Vision Consultation with Dr. Walton
If you’ve been considering ditching your contact lenses for good, Dr. Chris Walton is an experienced Mobile, AL, LASIK surgeon who can help you decide if the procedure is right for you. He’s also available to answer any other questions you have about eye care and vision health, and he offers a full range of optical services. To reach us, please call 251-341-3385.
