Submitted by Jon Freeman
Halloween is just around the corner. Many kids, teenagers, and adults will be dressing up in costumes to celebrate. Whether you’re planning to cap off a Halloween costume with a pair of cat-eye lenses, get the big-eye look of circle lenses, or switch your eye color from blue to violet for the day, cosmetic contacts — contact lenses meant to change the way your eye looks rather than correct your vision — may seem like just another fashion accessory.
But did you know that wearing decorative or cosmetic contact lenses that are obtained without a prescription can be risky? According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “Wearing any kind of contact lenses, including decorative or cosmetic ones, can cause serious damage to your eyes if the lenses are obtained without a prescription or not used correctly.” Contact lenses need to fit your eye correctly. If they don’t, or if they aren’t used and cared for properly, they can cause serious damage to your eyes. What kind of damage? Things like infection, decreased vision, scratches to the cornea, conjunctivitis (pink eye), or even blindness.
To learn more about this issue feel free to read a recent article about it from the FDA’s website by clicking here.