SAN FRANCISCO— It’s almost Halloween and you may be thinking about disguising your eyes with some really cool glow-in-the-dark or cat-eye shaped decorative contact lenses. But do you know the risks associated with these lenses? Buying decorative lenses without a prescription is dangerous, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology through its EyeSmart™ campaign warns consumers that serious eye disorders and infections can be caused by over-the-counter lenses.

"Improper use of decorative contact lenses is a concern year-round,” says Ivan Schwab, MD, a professor of ophthalmology at the University of California, Davis, and a clinical correspondent for the Academy. “But Halloween is the time when people use them most to accent costumes. Unfortunately, permanent eye damage can occur from over-the-counter lenses. Any type of contact lens is a medical device that requires a prescription, proper fitting by an eye care professional and a commitment to proper care by the consumer.”

Many Web sites advertise decorative contacts as if they were cosmetics, claiming ‘One size fits all,’ and ‘No need to see an eye specialist’ but this is far from the truth. “I have seen too many teenage patients who have suffered eye infections from decorative lenses obtained over the counter,” said Dr. Schwab. “In one case, a patient ended up in the emergency room after wearing the lenses for a few days.”

Although over-the-counter sales of nonprescription “plano” cosmetic lenses have been illegal in the United States since 2005, decorative contacts are still widely available without prescription in retail stores and on the Internet. In 2005, an Academy-backed federal law classified all contact lenses as medical devices and restricted their distribution to licensed eye care professionals.

“Before you add this finishing touch to your costume, think about the long-term implications,” says Dr. Schwab. “Inflammation and pain are common from improperly fitted lenses; more serious problems include corneal abrasions and blinding infections.”

To protect your eyes, contact lenses must be fitted by an eye care professional.  If you have any pain, burning, redness, tearing or sensitivity to light while wearing any type of contact lenses, see your ophthalmologist, an Eye M.D. For more information about contact lenses, go to www.geteyesmart.org.

About the American Academy of Ophthalmology

AAO is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons—Eye M.D.s—with more than 27,000 members worldwide.  Eye health care is provided by the three “O’s” – opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists. It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye M.D., who can treat it all: eye diseases and injuries, and perform eye surgery. For more information, visit the Academy's Web site at www.aao.org.