WITH Halloween around the corner, those who plan on dressing up are being urged to look after their eyes when choosing their ‘spooktacular’ eye accessories. Whether it’s vampire-inspired red contacts, spiderweb-like lashes or the timeless cat-eye, the experts at Specsavers want to ensure fancy dress revellers treat their eyes with the care they deserve however they choose to celebrate this 31 October.
An increasingly popular trend is for people to wear coloured novelty contact lenses, however they can damage the eyes – especially if not handled in the right way. Not knowing how to wear or care for them can also result in numerous minor eye conditions - such as red eye, infections and scratches - as well as more serious complications that can, in severe cases, lead to sight loss.
Nishita Chauhan, Specsavers Thame store director, warns of the importance of staying safe this Halloween and making sure people protect their eyes.
She says: ‘Halloween contact lenses have become a popular choice the last few years, however, consumers are often not aware of the risks associated with misusing contact lenses.
‘In particular, if a wearer hasn’t had a proper consultation with an optometrist beforehand, they probably haven’t been taught how to wear or care for their lenses correctly. 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.’
Industry body, the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA), is working to drive out the unregulated sale of coloured contact lenses across the UK to reduce the associated dangers, following a rise in the number of eye infections at this time of year[1].
Ms Chauhan continues: ‘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.’
It is also important to ensure that any make-up is properly removed before going to sleep to avoid a spooky disaster. Ms Chauhan adds: ‘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. Make sure that you always gently remove beauty products to reduce infection and keep your eyes clean.’
Specsavers sells coloured contact lenses, including non-prescription lenses. For more information visit https://www.specsavers.co.uk/contact-lenses/coloured-contact-lenses-halloween.
How to avoid a frightening mishap this Halloween
- Seek guidance from your optician before using novelty contact lenses
- Avoid purchasing cheap products online
- Clean and store your lenses properly to avoid infection
- Do not fall asleep in your lenses
- Never share contact lenses with other people
