It’s almost Halloween time and people across the country are starting to plan, shop, or create their costumes. For a special few, they want to boost the impact of the Halloween ensemble by using special contact lenses. Cosmetic contact lenses are also widely used in the entertainment industry, such as in theater, fashion, television shows, and films.
With the help of these contact lenses, a person with blue eyes can change his or her eye color to a two-toned eye color. They can achieve so many looks just by changing their lenses, from vampiric to cat eyes.
Since the purpose of these lenses are not for medical reasons, they are being sold online and can easily be bought without prescription, even though it is illegal. The problem is that it makes them very hard to regulate and check. Another cause for concern is that not many people know that these decorative eye accessories are actually treated as medical devices and that the United States Food and Drug Administration regulate their safety and effectiveness, similar to conventional prescription contact lenses.
While it is true that these colorful eye accessories can be visually appealing, but they can cause serious eye irritations, injuries, and can even lead to permanent vision loss. The American Academy of Ophthalmology has warned the public about the risks of purchasing lenses that might not be violating federal health and safety standards. Some of the injuries it can cause are cuts in the eyes and open sores.
This is why individuals looking to enhance their overall look this Halloween should be extra careful and that, as hard as it is to do, to make sure that they do not buy from a street vendor, beauty store, or online specialty stores. Check whether the buyer is selling FDA-cleared lenses or have the item pre-checked and verified by your ophthalmologist before buying.
You will know that the seller is offering legitimate products when during a purchase, they request for the following:
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Prescription
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Doctor’s Name
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Doctor’s Contact Details
If the seller did not ask for any of the aforementioned, then they are violating federal law and could possibly be selling you illegal contact lenses.
On the other hand, if you find yourself in that situation where you have already bought a pair for yourself, you can watch out for the following signs:
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Redness in the eyes
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Pain for a prolonged period of time
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Decrease in vision quality
Do not delay in seeing an eye doctor, as you may already have an eye infection and prolonging it could cause further damage to the eyes.
Ultimately, it is a cool idea to wear uniquely colored lenses to complement an outfit or a costume, but the risks of using nonprescription lenses far outweigh the cosmetic advantages. People are usually unaware of the potential risks that their eyes could experience until it actually occurs. This is why individuals should be more vigilant towards the products they use, even when they are only used for certain occasions.
