With Halloween just around the corner, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs issued a consumer alert Tuesday warning the public of the health dangers of novelty contact lenses, which include serious eye infections.
Novelty contact lenses are non-corrective lenses, worn directly on the eye and designed to change the eye’s appearance. However, a properly licensed medical practitioner or optometrist should prescribe the wearing of these lenses.
There are very serious infectious agents that can cause keratitis, conjunctivitis and even permanent vision loss when wearing novelty and corrective lenses.
Keratitis, or an infection of the cornea, typically follows some sort of trauma to the cornea. Keratitis is an emergency situation because loss of vision can occur within 24 hours. There may be a decrease in vision and the presence of discharge is variable. Most causes of keratitis are bacterial (65-90%) with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus being most common. The most common viral pathogen is HSV.
An increasingly more common cause of keratitis is the amoeba, Acanthamoeba. This is most common in users of soft and extended wear contact lenses.
Conjunctivitis or “pink eye” is by far the most common type of eye infection. Bacterial conjunctivitis is frequently caused by Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Both organisms are responsible for outbreaks of conjunctivitis. Symptoms depend on the offending organism but can include swelling, redness, and discharge.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulate novelty lenses as medical devices, similar to corrective lenses. The FDA has received reports of corneal ulcers, eye infections, and permanent vision loss resulting from the use of decorative contact lenses.
In addition, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs also reminds retailers that the sale of novelty contact lenses is a fourth-degree crime under New Jersey law, subject to significant penalties, unless they are sold by a licensed ophthalmic dispenser or a licensed medical practitioner or optometrist.
Everyone wants to have fun dressing up on Halloween, but the health risks of wearing these lenses is just not worth it.
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