Color contacts are popular throughout the year for individuals who are interested in changing the color of their eyes, however every Halloween there is a surge of people buying color contacts to coordinate with their costumes. Most people think that there isn’t any risk associated with buying color contacts from vendors that don’t require a prescription, however this is very much untrue.
In the United States, contact lenses must be FDA approved, and all contact lenses must have a corresponding prescription to be sold legally. Stores and online storefronts that sell color contacts without a prescription are operating illegally, and generally without regard to the eye health of customers.
Contact lenses require a fitting by a certified doctor to ensure that contact lenses are a proper fit for your unique eyeballs and to ensure there are no negative interactions with the contact lenses. Contact lens manufacturers are required to be FDA approved to ensure that contact lenses are sterile and made with materials that are safe for applications to people’s eyes. Using unfitted, unregulated lenses can result in a wide array of adverse reactions.
Possible Adverse Reactions
- Eye infections that can result in permanent loss of vision
- Corneal ulcers that can potentially scar and permanently affect vision
- Corneal abrasions that can cause redness, light sensitivity, discharge, and pain
- Blindness from extensive scarring or infection
If you want to include color contacts in your Halloween costume, please get a contact lens fitting from a licensed eye doctor, and obtain your contacts from a reputable retailer that requires prescription. If you notice discharge, pain, or redness after wearing color contacts please seek immediate medical care.
