Going blind due to a Halloween costume accessory would be a real-life horror story. In hopes of avoiding this outcome, the American Academy of Ophthalmology is raising awareness against wearing costume contact lenses purchased without a prescription for the trick-or-treating community and beyond!
These illegally sold cosmetic lenses are especially popular among teenagers and young adults. However, they are often unsterile and can lead to a host of gory eye problems lasting beyond one night of spooky fun.
The FDA warns that wearing unprescribed colored contact lenses can irritate the eyes and lead to conjunctivitis (also known as pinkeye), infections of the cornea, scratched corneas, impaired vision, and even blindness. While they are fun and make for a great costume addition, the long-term risks are not worth the reward.
Colored contact lenses have also been known to cause allergic reactions and bacterial infections. The restrictions and regulations on the prescription lens market are not enforced on these cheap novelty lenses. Due to their extra thickness, less oxygen makes its way to the eyes causing them to dry out and be at greater risk of infection.
With most illegally sold colored contact lenses, the materials and method for tinting the lenses cause them to obstruct the vision of those wearing them. Prescription lenses, however, are made to be transparent and can be worn safely.
Other than providing that perfectly spooky look this Halloween, genuine colored prescription lenses provided by an ophthalmologist can offer other benefits as well. Many call them the top beauty expert’s secret weapon. Unlike hair and makeup products, tinted prescription lenses can actually brighten the color of your eyes.
Rather than covering up your natural color, tinted lenses mimic the iris’s natural pattern and intensify it to make your eyes pop while also correcting your eyesight. As opposed to buying colored lenses without a prescription, an experienced eye doctor will measure the precise size and shape of your eye to ensure a perfect fit even if your vision requires no correction.
Prescription tinted lenses can provide other perks like covering up past injuries to the cornea that are otherwise noticeable or reducing glare for athletes looking to improve their vision. There are more and more options available to eye doctors for prescribing tinted lenses that are safe so that you can still enjoy them without putting your eyes at risk.
Call Palmetto Eye & Laser Center at 864-583-6381 or use our online contact form to request more information on safely purchasing prescription lenses to enhance your costume this Halloween.
