This is why you REALLY need to be careful with costume contact lenses this Halloween
Halloween is a mere six days away and with the ghoulish holiday will come plenty of outrageous costumes, many of them completed with an especially freaky pair of contact lenses.
But according to new reports, those special contact lenses hardcore Halloweeners are so fond of may not be totally safe. The L.A. Times reports that the U.S. Attorney’s office in the City of Angels has initiated a new program called Operation Fright Night to stop California vendors from selling the lenses over the counter.
So, why the sudden crackdown? Well, believe it or not, contacts not prescribed by a licensed ophthalmologist can cause a wealth of problems, including eye loss, blindness, scratched corneas, and conjunctivitis (a.k.a. pinkeye). And it’s all because these special contact lenses may contain dangerous chemicals that your run-of-the-mill, medically safe contact lenses don’t.
“These products pose a serious danger to unsuspecting Halloween shoppers, and those who have already purchased these products should not use them,” reads a statement from U.S. Attorney Eileen Decker. “As required by the law, contact lenses should be used only when they are prescribed by a knowledgeable medical professional. You shouldn’t be buying contact lenses in a shoe store.”
In other words, use common sense: If you see contact lenses outside an eye doctor’s office, maybe don’t purchase them. You’ll save a lot more than a few dollars, we promise.
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Image via Summit Entertainment
