Wearing Decorative Contact Lenses for Halloween? Read This First! by Donna John

You may want to have the perfect look for Halloween, but choosing to change the look of your eyes with contact lenses could cause a lot of damage to your eyesight if you get them without the input of your eye care professional. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants you to know the risks, which can include:

• a cut or scratch on the top layer of your eyeball (corneal abrasion)

• allergic reactions like itchy, watery red eyes

• decreased vision

• infection

• blindness

Here are the do’s and don’ts of decorative/colored contact lenses:

• Do get an eye exam! A licensed eye doctor will examine your eyes to make sure the contact lenses fit properly.

• Do get a prescription! Your eye doctor will write you a prescription for all contact lenses, including decorative lenses.

• Do follow the contact lens care instructions! Follow the instructions for wearing, cleaning and disinfecting your contact lenses that come with your contact lenses.

• Do seek medical attention right away and remove your contact lenses if your eyes are red, have ongoing pain or discharge! Redness, pain and discharge from the eyes are signs of an eye infection.

• Don't share your contact lenses with anyone else! You wouldn't share your toothbrush, would you? All eyes are not the same size and shape and your contact lenses are fitted just for you.

• Don't buy any contact lenses without a prescription! If you don't see an eye doctor and get a prescription, then the contact lenses you get may not fit properly and may not work well. Click here for a list of FDA-approved contact lenses.

Get more details about decorative contact lenses!

Video used with permission of U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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