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Halloween Horror: How to avoid costume contact lens nightmares this Halloween

Posted by econtactlenses 08/10/2020 0 Comment(s) Coloured Contact Lenses,

You need the finishing touch to your Halloween costume. So far, the rest of your outfit has fallen into place beautifully, but some creepy contact lenses would really push it over the edge into cosplay genius! While passing through the shopping centre one last time before the party, you spot a kiosk selling phone covers, sunglasses, and the much searched-for costume lenses. These will be perfect, you think.

Not so fast there, Robot-Zombie-Vampire!

People injure their eyes on sub-par contact lenses. A scratched cornea, painful eye infections, even blindness? Yikes! While it is not that common, nobody wants those Halloween horrors. So why are some costume lenses risky? And what can you do to keep your eyes happy and healthy, while also pulling off the most epic Halloween costume ever?

What makes unregulated costume contact lenses hazardous?

A 2015 study subjected several popular brands of costume/coloured contact lenses to rigorous testing. Costume contact lens wearers everywhere might find their results unsettling.

  • Pigment printed on the inner or outer surface of lenses was found to leech out onto the eye. Some of these leeched substances included chlorine, iron, and the pigment dyes themselves.
  • On some lenses tested, the oxygen permeability was found to be lower than it should be, increasing the chances of bacterial growth and infection.
  • Pigment printed on the lens was found to change the shape, rigidity, and surface of the lens. This can cause friction on the cornea, scratching or injuring the eye.

Many costume lenses available in Australia sidestep the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s (TGA) regulations for contact lenses by classifying their lenses as not prescription, and therefore not “medical devices”. This means these same reasons for concern raised in the study above could be found in lenses from costume hire stores, shopping mall kiosks, and at unaffiliated online stores.

Costume lenses that won’t hurt your eyes

ColourVUE costume contact lenses are the only TGA-registered costume lenses in Australia. They incorporate several design features that put safety first. They use tri-layer sandwich technology where the print is encapsulated inside the lens, protecting the eye from irritation as well as preserving the colour of the lens. They’re produced using patented Hydrogel technology, for high oxygen permeability.

What else can you do to make sure your costume goes off without a hitch?

It might be just for your Halloween costume, but it’s a really good idea to get an eye test before selecting your costume lenses. That way, you’ll get the best advice on how to use your costume contacts, but also, you’ll find out if you have any pre-existing eye conditions that might be irritated by wearing contacts.

Make sure your hands are clean before you put your costume contacts in. Give your hands a good wash with soap and water and try on a lint-free towel. Then follow the instructions that come with the lenses on how best to insert them.

When you’re wearing them, avoid touching your eye. Your hands might feel clean, but you could introduce dirt or irritants into your eyes. At the party, if your eyes start to feel sore or irritated, wash your hands well and take your lenses out.

ColourVUE costume contact lenses can be worn as many times as you like for up to 3 months. But that’s where learning about good hygiene and good care for your lenses is of the utmost importance, eg: changing the lens solution each time you use them. You can find out more about caring for contact lenses here.

When Halloween is over and you were the best Robot-Zombie-Vampire you could be, don’t be tempted to lend your lenses to a friend for their next costume. You can inadvertently pass on bacteria, causing your friend a serious eye infection. Remember: Friends don’t give friends bacterial eye infections.

Costume contact lenses can really lift a Halloween costume. By knowing the risks unregulated lenses pose to your eyes and choosing instead to purchase a TGA-registered set of costume lenses, you can be confident you’ll have a Halloween full of spooky fun without the painful after-effects of eye injuries and infection.