If you are considering getting coloured contact lenses for Halloween this year you may want to think more carefully about the ones you choose.
Non-prescription contact lenses for fancy dress come in a variety of different colours and shapes and are available from a number of high street and online retailers for less than £10.
But many of them come without aftercare information, have not been FDA approved and can cause serious damage to your eyes.
Optician Anita has been in optics a total 26 years and has revealed why coloured contact lenses this Halloween might be a bad idea.
Why are decorative contact lenses bad for your eyes?
Many decorative lenses are usually painted on, which dramatically reduces the amount of oxygen getting to the eyes. Therefore, they could become quite red as the blood vessels expand to try to compensate. They may also not have been FDA approved to UK standards.
What are the risks in wearing these types of lenses?
A lot of these lenses can be purchased from non-certified retailers, so instructions on how to look after them/cleaning solutions may not have been provided. If you haven’t been instructed on how to apply and remove the contact lenses safely you will be at risk of damaging your eyes. Decorative lenses are often thicker than normal contact lenses, which means they are likely to dry out quicker and become difficult to remove. If these lenses are re-used there is a significant risk of infection if not properly disinfected. What’s more, if worn for long periods they may even cause ulcers.
What are the short and long-term damages wearing decorative lenses can cause?
Short-term damages include the possibility of your eyes becoming red, feeling sore and drying up. As previously mentioned, you will be at risk of developing ulcers which can be sore and painful, these would also take a few days to clear up. Long-term risks include the ulcers becoming infected, which could can be sore and painful, these would also take a few days to clear up. Long-term risks include the ulcers becoming infected, which could cause scarring on the cornea. You can risk an infection if your lenses are not learned and looked after with appropriate contact lens solutions which can seriously damage the cornea. If water has been used, there is a risk of bugs like Acanthamoeba which can badly damage the cornea or even lead to blindness.
Is there any way to reduce the damage?
If you want to try colours lenses for occasions such as Halloween, we’d recommend that you visit your optician for proper fitting and listen to advice on how to wear your lenses. Use contact lens friendly eye-drops to keep your eyes moist and use contact lens solutions to clear your lenses. Do not use tap water and do not share the lenses.
Would you recommend wearing them or are they not safe?
As long as the lenses are fitted and supplied by an optician and you follow the instructions given, you should be ok. However, we would recommend that you limit the use and amount of time you wear the lenses due to the lack of oxygen reaching the cornea.
For those who do not wear contact lenses but are interested in maintaining good eye health on a daily basis, Anita also has some quirky tips:
1. Thoroughly remove all your eye make-up every day.
2. There are many supplements you can buy to aid the health of your eyes from any chemist or opticians.
3. Give your eye lids a squeeze. Hot showers or baths allows the steam to open your pores. Next, gently squeeze at the base of your lashes and massage your eye lids. This helps to unblock your ducts and produce the oily part of your tears to help keep them hydrated.
What should you avoid doing?
Anita said: “If you are on a computer all day make sure you give your eyes a break. Staring at a screen all day can dry out your eyes, as can lots of tea and coffee so keep hydrated – especially after sports. Every so often look away from your screen and focus on something in the distance, then focus on your thumb in front of your face. Respect this about five times too wake you eyes muscles. Also, eye dries really help hydrate the eyes.”
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