Decorative Contacts can be Scary

As Halloween costumes go, a zombie isn't half bad. It's a popular choice due to The Walking Dead and the relatively new zombie crawl craze in many cities. It's a perennial favorite year after year. As people get more involved with costumes due to the availability of realistic makeup and Halloween prosthetics geared toward the average consumer, the idea of wearing decorative and "spooky" contacts seems like something every zombie needs.

Unfortunately, wearing decorative contacts can be very dangerous for your eyes. In fact, the FDA warns people of the risks associated with these kinds of contacts. Permanent eye injuries with the possibility of blindness are a real threat. Non-corrective, unfitted contacts, worn for long periods, and sold without a prescription can lead to corneal ulcers. Corneal ulcers can lead to an infection very quickly if left untreated. Scarring and vision impairment may result in blindness or even eye loss. Scary, indeed.

Other injuries reported to the FDA include eye infections (conjunctivitis), corneal edema, abrasions, allergic reactions, blurred vision, light sensitivity, and more.

While there are decorative lenses on the market, the FDA says sellers are in violation of the law. They have ordered customs agents to detain all decorative lenses that they find at US ports of entry. Consumers are urged to discontinue use and notify the FDA immediately about any eye problems that occur.

So, what does this have to do with LASIK? Nothing at all. However, it is important to remember that it can be very easy to destroy once perfect 20/20 vision in one night that not even a LASIK surgeon can correct.

If you are interested in finding out more about problems associated with decorative lenses or LASIK, please contact an experienced eye doctor through the LASIK Directory today.