The Dangers of Purchasing Halloween Contact Lenses

The CDC and eye doctors warn against the dangers of purchasing Halloween contact lenses. Fashionistas, beauty gurus, and people who simply want to have a fun night love Halloween. This means putting on horror movie-quality makeup, fake blood, outrageous costumes, vampire teeth, and more. Some people go as far as wearing creepy-looking Halloween contact lenses. These colored lenses turn your eyes ghoulish green, red, ghostly white, or even deathly black.
 

What most people do not understand, however, is that decorative lenses are still a form of contact lenses and considered a medical device. Therefore, they come with certain risks. Purchasing them from a vendor without a prescription is unsafe. If you want to purchase Halloween lenses, you should work with an optometrist to do so.

Today, you will find many places selling these lenses, which are extremely popular during Halloween. To protect the health of your eyes, however, you need to be fully aware of the dangers you face when you put them on.

 

The Risks of Wearing Halloween Contact Lenses

Your eyes might look like those of a cat, lizard, or snake for an evening; however, the risks of permanent vision problems are very real. They may not be worth the thrill. According to the CDC, one in six people in the U.S. wears contact lenses. Around Halloween, the number of people wearing them surges.
 

The demand for Halloween contact lenses is especially high among young people. Unfortunately, this is the same demographic that faces higher risks for experiencing inflammatory and infectious complications from these lenses. Most people do not realize that the FDA classifies contact lenses as either Class II or III medical devices. This means that they pose at least a small risk to people’s health when used without an eye doctor’s oversight.
 

Parasites, Infections, and Fungi

All types of contact lenses have the potential to lead to serious eye complications. Wearers are at a higher risk for eye infections than people who do not wear contact lenses. These infections often stem from parasites, fungi, and bacteria, and they can rob wearers of their central vision.
 

Lack of Oxygen

In addition, Halloween contact lenses are pieces of plastic that cover the eyes. Therefore, they can prevent oxygen from reaching the front surface of the eye. Some of the signs and symptoms of an oxygen-starved eye are pain, watering, redness, and new blood vessel growth. Therefore, if you really want to change the appearance of your eyes during Halloween, seek an eye doctor’s instructions before purchasing any decorative lenses.
 

Infection in the Cornea

Sleeping in your Halloween contact lenses is extremely dangerous. Unfortunately, it is one of the riskiest behaviors among people who wear costume contact lenses. It can put you at the risk of suffering a serious infection in your cornea.
 

Colored contact lenses are risky because they come in many sizes, shapes, and materials. Therefore, they may not fit your eyes as they should. Only an eye doctor can help you determine whether a contact lens is appropriate for your eyes.

To learn more about our personalized eye care services, visit Advanced Vision Institute at our office in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can also call (702) 819-9800 to schedule an appointment or ask any questions about Halloween Contact Lenses.