As Halloween looms, many of us will be dusting off our most terrifying costumes to mark the occasion - but opticians have warned about the dangers of making one addition to your scary outfit.
It can be a popular choice to pop some contact lenses in to complete your Halloween look, whether to turn your eyes blood-red or give yourself creepy cat eyes. But Specsavers has urged revellers to ensure they put their eye health first this spooky season, after new research showed some concerning trends.
A survey carried out by The College of Optometrists showed that while almost two thirds (63%) of people planning to dress up for Halloween are considering wearing cosmetic contact lenses on the night, just over a quarter of people (27%) would buy the novelty lenses from a licensed optometrist. This is despite the fact that it’s illegal to sell contact lenses with no prescription in the UK without the supervision of a registered optometrist, dispensing optician or doctor.
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John Loughran, Director of Specsavers Newcastle and Gateshead, said that many people are not aware of the dangers that come with misusing contact lenses. Failing to properly care for them can lead to a number of nasty eye conditions, from infections to scratches - as well as more severe complications that could put your sight at risk.
“In particular, if a wearer hasn’t had a proper consultation with an optician beforehand, they probably haven’t been taught how to wear or care for their lenses correctly,” John explained. “The results can be nasty and range from mildly irritating complications, such as blurry vision and conjunctivitis, to potentially sight-threatening conditions, such as fungal infections like microbial keratitis.”
Following a rise in the number of eye infections around Halloween, the British Contact Lens Association is currently working to put a stop to unregulated sales of coloured contact lenses. But in the meantime, Specsavers has issued advice to anyone thinking of making lenses part of their costume.
They urge users to seek guidance from their optician before using novelty contact lenses, and avoid buying cheap products online. If you do wear the lenses, the experts encourage you to clean and store them properly to avoid infection - as well as making sure you don’t fall asleep in them or share them with other people.
John added: “If you do start to notice any discomfort, irritation or pain during or after wearing Halloween contact lenses, it is important that you visit your optometrist immediately. Most of our stores offer eye health clinics where you can receive treatment for a range of minor eye conditions without needing to visit your GP or hospital.”
Contact lenses aren’t the only part of Halloween that can pose a risk to our eye health. If you’re planning on putting on some scary make-up, this could also lead to problems if you don’t take the right precautions.
“Leaving your eye make-up on when you go to bed – particularly eyeliner and mascara – will increase your chances of getting bacterial and oil build up around your eyes or even inflammation,” John explained. “Make sure that you always gently remove beauty products to reduce infection and keep your eyes clean.”
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