Be Safe Using Costume Lenses This Halloween

Be Safe Using Costume Lenses This Halloween

It’s that time of year again, trick or treaters knocking your door and Halloween parties full of fabulous fancy dress costumes. To complete an outfit, there’s a huge range of costume contact lenses available on the market, all at varying prices and from many different outlets.

Fancy dress lenses are often purchased by people who do not wear contacts regularly and who may not know how to handle and care for them safely.

College of Optometrists

We advise before purchasing these types of contact lenses to seek advice on safe usage and read these basic guidelines to minimise the risk of potential problems. Costume contacts can damage your eyes and some damage may even be irreversible, so it’s absolutely vital for eye health that individuals are able to remove and insert these contact lenses safely, know how to keep them sterile, and have been instructed on how to do so by a qualified professional. The College of Optometrists has issued some advice to consider before using unprescribed contact lenses as part of your Halloween costume:

Follow Professional Advice

Lenses that are not properly fitted may scratch the eye or cause an infection, so it’s important that any contact lenses worn are fitted by a qualified professional who can provide the appropriate advice on how to use them correctly.

Clean Lenses Thoroughly

If you are wearing contact lenses of any sort, including novelty lenses, you must make sure that you clean them thoroughly with the recommended contact lens solution. Never use tap water, the wrong solution, or saliva – and if they drop on the floor don’t simply pop them back in.

Avoid Sharing or Borrowing Lenses

You should not share contact lenses with friends, or use borrowed ones, as even quickly trying them on can lead to eye infections.

Purchase of Non-Prescription Lenses

Although non-prescription lenses may be found online and on the high street from hairdressers, tattoo parlours and nail bars, it is against the law to sell these lenses without the direct supervision of an eyecare expert.

Night Driving

Driving with novelty lenses at night (even if you wear glasses over the top) can be potentially dangerous.  If the lenses are strongly tinted or opaque they may impair your vision if the hole that you look through does not align with your pupil.

When to Seek Advice

If you experience any eye discomfort during, or after, wearing any type of contact lens you should seek advice from an optometrist, contact lens optician or doctor.

CQC