Beware of costume contact lenses
Avoid this Halloween novelty

Novelty or cosmetic contact lenses may be a favorite way for California teens to spice up their Halloween costume, but by using them without first visiting their optometrist, they are risking permanent damage to their eyes.

Used incorrectly or shared, these contact lenses can cause eye infections that, without treatment, can lead to permanent scarring of the eye and vision loss.

This will be the first Halloween since Assembly Bill 1382, sponsored by the California Optometric Association, was passed, which makes it unlawful to distribute plano (noncorrective) contact lenses without an eye examination and prescription.

Despite this law, novelty lenses can still be found at various retail outlets.

Many optometrist report an increase in eye infections, especially among teens, during the Halloween season.

Open-air retail sites like swap meets and the Internet are the primary sources for obtaining cosmetic contact lenses without a prescription. The COA encourages parents to be mindful of the danger and to make sure their teens understand the risk involved.

To find a local optometrist, visit www.eyehelp.org and click on the Find an Eye Doc link.

This story is provided by the California Optometric Association.