Halloween horror: Optometrists warn about novelty contacts

Optometry Australia resident optometrist Sophie Koh said buying novelty lenses could lead to eye infections, corneal damage or even permanent blindness.

“We don’t want to be party poopers on an increasingly festive occasion in Australia, it’s critical to raise awareness of the horrifying hazards of novelty contact lenses, which are also increasing in availability,” Ms Koh said.

“The surface of the eye is extremely delicate and wearing non-prescribed novelty contact lenses, particularly those from a dubious source, could cause a range of eye damage.”

She said to  date, numerous cases of serious harm to the eyes have been documented when people have used novelty contact lenses that they purchased without a prescription.

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“Contact lenses are not one size fits all and if people want to enhance their Halloween look with fancy dress lenses, it is important to make sure the lenses are prescribed by an optometrist who will measure each eye to properly fit the lenses and evaluate how the eye responds to contact lens wear using a microscope,” Ms Koh said.

“The optometrist will then instruct them on appropriate insertion and removal techniques and correct contact lens care to minimise the risk of irreversible eye damage.

“Many people are using contacts for the first time when they buy them for a costume and they often don’t know how to insert and remove the lenses safely. This further increases the risk of scratching or damaging the eye.”

Ms Koh said cosmetic contact lenses available online could circumvent regulation from safety agencies such as the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and could contain harmful chemicals such as chlorine, which can seep from the colourants in the lens to cause toxicity problems for the eyes.