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halloween eye contacts
Creepy makeup lenses may elevate your Halloween costume, but optometrists warn that contact lenses bought online can have dire side effects.
In extreme cases, contaminated or counterfeit contact lenses can cause vision threats and permanent eye damage.The most common problems are irritation, redness and discomfort.
In the UK, you can only legally buy contact lenses under the supervision of a registered optician – even if they are not prescription lenses.
But some online retailers have solved the problem because they are based overseas and outside the scope of UK safety standards.
According to a survey conducted by the Association of Optometrists (AOP), 67% of contact lens wearers have had problems purchasing contact lenses online.Of these, a staggering 17% said it had resulted in permanent eye damage.
When the AOP asked optometrists, more than half said they had treated patients with blurred vision, and more than a third said they had experienced eye infections from buying poor-quality contact lenses online.
The AOP tells us that while problems can occur with any type of lens, a warning is especially needed for cosmetic lenses at this time, as optometrists tend to see a lot of eye problems with cosmetic lenses on Halloween.
Where to buy contact lenses: We rate high street and online brands including Boots, Specsavers, Vision Express and Feel Good Contacts
The potential side effects of wearing dodgy contact lenses are enough to scare anyone.So we asked AOP for some tips on how to choose the right one:
Contact lenses carry a risk of eye infection if they are not fitted correctly and purchased without the supervision of an eye care professional.Even if you don’t need a prescription, it’s important to check your eyes before wearing contact lenses to make sure they fit your eyes.
It may be tempting to buy some cheap clothing lenses online, but cosmetic retailers, beauty suppliers and sellers on online marketplaces are often unregulated.It is illegal to sell contact lenses without the supervision of a registered professional such as an optometrist or contact lens optician because of the risk to your eyes.
You should also check the packaging for CE marking, which indicates that the product complies with medical device regulations.
After the party, don’t forget to take your lenses out before going to bed.Unless they’re specifically designed for it, wearing contact lenses for extended periods of time not only increases your risk of eye infections, but it also starves your eyes of oxygen and causes the lenses to bond to the front of your eye.
When wearing any type of contact lenses, use the recommended contact lens solution to ensure they are clean.Never use tap water to clean your lenses, as water contains bacteria and microorganisms that can cause serious and potentially vision-threatening eye conditions.Always wash and dry your hands before inserting the lenses.
Even if you want to give your elaborate costume another spin on Halloween weekend, you shouldn’t be popping your novelty contacts again.Most of them are not designed for repeated wear, and if they are not, repeated use of them increases the likelihood of infection and corneal inflammation.

halloween eye contacts
If you experience any of these conditions, remove your lenses immediately and consult an optometrist or contact lens optician for advice as soon as possible.