Halloween is nearly here! And we can’t wait. The costumes. The pumpkins. The decorations. The frights. THE CANDY!
From a business standpoint, did you know that Halloween is the second biggest commercial holiday in America? The National Retail Federation projects Halloween spending this year to reach a record $10.6 billion. How this holiday only ranks 10th (tied with Easter) on the list of most popular national and religious events in the country is beyond us.
The spooky season comes with plenty of fun and economic benefits. However, it also provides the perfect opportunity to remind the masses about the dangers of selling and/or purchasing contact lenses without valid prescriptions.
We get the appeal. Decorative contact lenses are a surefire way to take your Halloween costume (or cosplay outfit) to the next level. In fact, we’ve gathered some outstanding examples of killer color contacts from the Twitterverse and embedded them at the end of this post.
But there are real dangers to putting anything on your eye that isn’t up to federal regulations. Issues range from the rather mundane: eye irritation, to the very serious: vision loss.
The American Optometric Association works to ensure that retailers know the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) treats contact lenses like the medical devices they are. The AOA’s annual “31 in 31” advocacy campaign, which runs the month of October, aims to keep the focus of proper wear and care of contact lenses in the national spotlight.
“The main concern with unprescribed contact lenses is eye health,” says Paul Velting, O.D., chair of the AOA Contact Lens & Cornea Section (CLCS). “While most of the decorative contact lens retailers tout their lenses as ‘FDA approved,’ patients sometimes assume this means they’re automatically safe.”
The AOA reports it has reached out to more than 150 retailers over the years to inform them of the laws as they pertain to the sale of contact lenses.
Much of the AOA’s outreach is dependent on reports from its members.
“Without reports from doctors of optometry, we don’t know which companies are the most frequent offenders,” says Dr. Velting. “Reports from actual patient experiences are extremely important.”
Doctors are encouraged to report any suspected contact use violations to the AOA. If you have any questions, send them to [email protected]
The FDA also offers a number of resources to the public for reporting potential contact lens sales or usage infractions:
- Unlawful sales of medical products on the internet
- Unexpected side effects or adverse events from wearing contact lenses
- Consumer complaints about decorative contact lenses
Now, with that PSA out of the way, here are some amazing examples of decorative contact lenses. (May they all be lawfully compliant!)
You can also take a trip in the way back machine to see how these ECPs totally crushed novelty contact lenses… the right way.
#Halloween contact lenses can help you terrorize trick-or-treaters, but they aren’t always #safe even if worn properly and maintained carefully. Read more about the risks of wearing #HalloweenContacts and #SafetyTips to avoid any #Eye or #Vision damage. https://t.co/Tq7I3LvUgk pic.twitter.com/bADYYQfbht
— All About Vision (@AllAboutVision) October 17, 2022
Looking for a frightful final touch to your #costume? A sight-threatening eye infection from improper use of cosmetic #contactlenses can turn into just that. See a #licensedOptician for a proper fitting. #FreakyFriday #halloweencontacts #colouredcontacts #colouredcontactlenses pic.twitter.com/L5rOMBZy6F
— Opticians Association of Canada (@OACexecutiveDr) October 14, 2022
Marionette Makeup by @makeupmadhouse
https://t.co/YcUGBJwTgV#colouredcontacts #coloredcontacts #halloween #halloweencontacts #halloweencontactlenses #halloweenmakeup #halloweenmakeupinspo #marionette #halloweendoll #dollmakeup #creepydoll #creepydollmakeup #puppetmakeup pic.twitter.com/PfX6QIb5ix
— Coloured Contacts (@cc_lenses) October 17, 2022
Don’t lose your sight this Halloween If you wish to wear coloured contact lenses the safest way to do so would be to visit your optician – find out more here: #halloween #colouredcontacts #eyecare https://t.co/ZYWaA1XZxQ pic.twitter.com/B9ld4pQigK
— OCL Vision (@oclvision) October 31, 2021
Add coloured contacts to your Halloween Costume for an extra special spook! https://t.co/A7Bq69FIt9
@sfxsheridan #bluebanana #bluebananauk #alternative #gothic #halloween #horror #halloweencostume #colouredcontacts #contactlenses #halloweencontactlenses #sfx pic.twitter.com/KguWqML0CF
— Blue Banana (@BlueBananaUK) October 11, 2022
