A teen went partially blind from her Halloween contact lenses, so please be careful this year
In the kind of news we never like to report, a girl went partially blind from Halloween contacts this year. So let this please, please serve as a reminder to always put your safety first when trying new looks or special cosmetic effects.
Local ABC station WXZY reported that the girl — a Michigan teen named Leah Carpenter — ordered colored contacts for a zombie costume from an online seller. The contacts were allegedly “FDA-approved,” but one of the contacts ended up ripping off a layer of Carpenter’s cornea upon removal. She’s since been to the eye doctor every day and may need to have surgery to recover her vision.
“I’m devastated,” the teen’s mom, Dawn, told ABC. “It happened in late September and we have been going to the opthamologist everyday.” Meanwhile, Leah said, “”I missed out on homecoming. My school work is really behind. My vision is not going to be 100%. I have a long road […] I wish I never did it, to be honest.”
In an interview with TeenVogue.com, LensCrafters’ Dr. Mark Jacquot noted that Halloween is notorious for eye-related injuries. “Eye health is a big concern this time of year due to the use of costume lenses, which can cause serious eye health problems and even permanent damage,” he said. “Our eyes are an extremely delicate part of our bodies, so they are particularly susceptible to infections and irritation. It’s important to wear costume lenses with the same care that you would with regular lenses.”
And that includes consulting your doctor.
Let this story serve as a reminder to never take your eye health for granted, and to always be careful with anything that could permanently damage your health — even if it means forgoing that “perfect” costume.
