This is why you shouldn't wear novelty contact lenses on Halloween

It's not worth the risk
Shutterstock / margo_black
Harriet Pavey20 October 2017

Halloween is once again upon us, and as the "living dead" descend upon London, people are going the extra mile to make their costumes convincing.

Novelty contact lenses have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. Dedicated party-goers can instantly transform the colour of their irises with the lenses and, terrifyingly, even turn the whites of their eyes black.

But now it seems that the creepy contacts could be even scarier than we thought and should come with a health warning.

Decorative lenses are not eyesight-improving, so they’re generally worn by people who aren’t short-sighted, or familiar with handling them.

They can also be bought on the cheap virtually anywhere, unregulated and without safety instructions.

Considering you’re placing a foreign object in your eye for several hours, some guidance might be useful. Normal contact lenses can only be sold by registered opticians or doctors who are qualified to give care advice.

Halloween cakes - in pictures

1/6

This year, experts are urging Halloween revellers to stop buying the creepy contacts without seeking the advice of an optician first. The popularity of the lenses being carelessly worn has led to a worrying spike in admissions to A&E units during the Halloween period.

How to wear contact lenses safely

  • Ask your optician for an eye examination beforehand
  • Only buy from lenses a registered optical professional
  • Don’t wear cosmetic lenses for any longer than advised
  • Clean your lenses with saline solution daily
  • Never wear anyone else’s lenses
  • If your eyes hurt or feel irritated seek medical advice 

Wearing novelty contact lenses can cause eye injury and infection, and in worst case scenarios they can make you go blind. The cornea – the clear window in front of the eye – is very delicate and can be easily scratched by inexperienced contact lens wearers. If it’s damaged, vision can be permanently impaired.

Kelly Plahay, Optometrist and Acting Chairman of the Eyecare Trust explains: “All contact lenses, whether you wear them for fun or to correct your vision, require the same level of care and attention because improper use can lead to serious eye infections, corneal ulcers, abrasions and even blindness or the loss of an eye."

Kelly recommends seeking professional advice from an optician before wearing the lenses.

Common symptoms associated with unsupervised contact lens use include gritty eyes, watery discharge, dry eyes and headaches. So unless you’ve bought the lenses from an eye specialist, they’re probably not safe or comfortable to wear.

Instead, why not try a spooky smokey eye? It's definitely better to be a sight for sore eyes than have them.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT