Many people decide to wear colored contact lenses during the Halloween holiday to spice up the costume. However, these type of lenses are not medically approved as they hold a serious risk of damaging the eyes. There are some horrific cases that happened because of wearing such lenses. One teen became partially blind, because the cornea was so harshly damaged. Therefore, in this blog post we want to inform you about the possible risks and how to minimize them if you still decide to go for it.
Possible risks
Compared to conventional lenses, decorative contacts are thicker, more stiff, and less breathable. Therefore, infections are more likely to happen. What is more, infections can lead to other eye diseases. Problems include corneal infections, scratches on the cornea, impaired vision and blindness. Other consequences of colored contacts are allergic reactions. If bacteria or other microbes become trapped underneath your contact lenses, corneal ulcers can develop. This may potentially result in keratitis, a severe eye infection.
What are the issues most commonly related to unsafe contact lens usage?
– Pain in the eye.
– Dry eyes.
– Redness of the eye or eyelids.
– Swelling.
– Discharge.
– Watery eyes.
– Blurred or decreased vision.
– Light sensitivity.
– Reduced visual acuity.
– Headaches.
If you notice any of the described symptoms above, immediately visit your eye specialist. Ignoring the situation can result in even worse consequences for your eye health.
How to minimize the risks of colored contact lenses
The best option is not to wear a colored contact lenses at all. However, if you still decide to wear them, go to the optometrist/ophthalmologist who will, after the examination, give you a suitable prescription. They will determine certain measurements and make sure that lenses fit on your eyes. For examples, they measure the curvature of the cornea and the size of it. After the examination you will get a prescription. Buying contacts via prescription means wearing suitable contacts from a verified provider. To avoid negative consequences of wearing them, follow the guidelines from your eyecare doctor about cleaning, disinfecting, wearing, and storing the lenses. Before handling with the contact lenses, remember to wash your hands!
Last but not least, before using the contacts, educate yourself on the potential outcomes and consider whether one occasion justifies the potential harm to your vision. We believe that the holiday season can be just as fun without colored contact lenses, and believe us, warding off ghosts has the same effectiveness! 😉
