State Regulators Warn Consumers: Popular Halloween Eye Wear Can Permanently Damage Eyes

Main Category: Eye Health / Blindness
Article Date: 25 Oct 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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Cosmetic contact lenses purchased by many consumers this time of year to accompany Halloween costumes can be scarier than lens wearers might think. The Illinois Optometric Association (IOA) and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) are warning consumers about the risks of wearing decorative contact lenses purchased without a prescription. These non-corrective lenses are easily accessible to consumers and are especially popular around Halloween.

The dangers consumers face who wear these lenses without a doctor's prescription are so serious that state regulators recently announced a crackdown on stores selling these lenses illegally. Reports of serious injuries across the country led to a federal law in 2005 that prohibited the sale of decorative contacts without a prescription. The new law requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate decorative lenses as a medical device, similar to corrective lenses, making it illegal to dispense the lenses without a prescription.

Beauty-supply stores, flea markets and convenience stores that sell non-prescription, cosmetic, colored contacts-which are particularly popular among teenagers and young adults-sell the lenses for as little as $15 to $20 a pair. However, regulators say they could face civil penalties of $10,000. The fines are steep, but perhaps those who suffer most are the lens wearers. Colored lenses purchased without a proper examination and fitting from a doctor of optometry puts thousands of Illinois consumers at risk of corneal scratches, eye infections and even blindness.

"Young people and their parents need to be aware that a prescription and proper fitting by a licensed professional is mandatory, even for colored, cosmetic contact lenses, "said Dean Martinez, Secretary, IDFPR. "Good vision and eye health is too important to risk because of a desire for different colored eyes. Protecting consumers from unnecessary danger of infection is an important part of our responsibility as regulators."

Only eye care professionals licensed in Illinois are authorized to prescribe contact lenses. There are approximately 2,000 licensed optometrists in Illinois and many have reported seeing patients who have suffered infections or corneal scratches as a result of contact lens problems. A proper medical evaluation can determine whether or not patients are viable candidates to wear contact lenses and if they are capable of wearing contact lenses without problems.

"Buying contact lenses without a prescription involves serious health care risks because sellers may not be contact lens specialists," said Louise Sclafani, a Chicago-based doctor of optometry and chair of the American Optometric Association's Contact Lens and Cornea Section. "After purchasing the decorative lenses, consumers often receive no formal education and instruction, which puts the responsibility to learn proper cleaning and disinfecting, as well as removal and application, on the consumer."

Other risks associated with use of decorative contact lenses include conjunctivitis, swelling, allergic reaction and corneal abrasion due to poor lens fit. Other problems may include reduction in visual acuity (sight), contrast sensitivity and other general eye and vision impairments.

"Stopping unlicensed practice is always a challenge, but by imposing the maximum allowable fine in each case, we hope to gain the attention of retailers who are breaking the law but find the profits hard to give up," said Daniel E. Bluthardt, Director of the Division of Professional Regulation, IDFPR. "We will continue to invest resources into cutting off the supply of cosmetic contact lenses and hope to see a reduction in the number of infections as a result."

Illinois residents are encouraged to notify state officials if they see lenses for sale at retail outlets that don't require a prescription from a licensed eye-care professional. Consumers can file complaints through the IDFPR by going online to http://www.idfpr.com.

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