{"id":19870,"date":"2021-11-04T10:08:19","date_gmt":"2021-11-04T10:08:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=19870"},"modified":"2021-11-04T10:08:19","modified_gmt":"2021-11-04T10:08:19","slug":"a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/","title":{"rendered":"A Halloween Scare: Contact Lenses\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Here\u2019s one Halloween scare to avoid: Costume contact lenses.\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Costume contact lenses can alter your eyes&#8217; look without correcting your vision. These lenses can change the color of your eyes, add your favorite team&#8217;s emblem, or provide a frightful appearance for a Halloween costume.<\/p>\n<p><b>Costume contact lenses can cause serious and permanent eye damage.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><b>What are costume lenses?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Also known as cosmetic or fashion lenses, costume lenses\u00a0 are typically sold by businesses that don&#8217;t specialize in eye care. They\u2019re considered just another accessory, like costume jewelry, scarves, or no-correction glasses.<\/p>\n<p>Costume contact lenses , also known as cosmetic or decorative contact lenses, are contact lenses that dramatically change how your eyes look, from changing the eye\u2019s color to adding effects such as blood, flames or bright colors.<\/p>\n<p><strong>But, costume lenses are not as innocent as they appear and can even cause permanent blindness.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/\">Contact lenses<\/a> are medical devices that require a proper lens fitting and should only be obtained with an eye doctor\u2019s prescription.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Why are Halloween contacts dangerous?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Contact lenses that are not prescribed by an eye doctor can cut, scratch and infect your eye if they don&#8217;t fit exactly right.<\/p>\n<p>All contact lenses need a complete optometrist\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/what-are-contact-lenses\/the-contact-lens-exam\/\">examination and fitting<\/a> as all contact lenses are customized to each individual.<\/p>\n<p><b>Non-prescribed lenses can cause <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-conditions\/eye-conditions\/corneal-diseases\/what-is-a-corneal-abrasion\/\">corneal abrasions<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-conditions\/eye-conditions\/corneal-diseases\/corneal-ulcers-keratitis\/\">corneal ulcers<\/a> and potentially blinding, painful bacterial infections like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-conditions\/eye-conditions\/corneal-diseases\/keratitis\/\">keratitis<\/a>.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Costume contact lenses also might let less oxygen through to the eye because the paints and pigments used to add color make the lenses thicker and less breathable.<\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">Schedule a contact lens fitting with an eye doctor near you<\/a> so that you can safely wear lenses this Halloween.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><strong>SEE RELATED:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/purchase-contact-lenses-online\/\">Purchasing Contact Lenses Online?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"practice-search-widget\">\n\t\t<h3>Find an eye doctor near you<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t<form class=\"practice-search-form practice-search-form-widget\" action=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/results\/\" method=\"get\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"page\" class=\"practice-search-page\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_latitude\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_longitude\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"address\" class=\"practice-search-address\" placeholder=\"City, Surburb or Address\" value=\"\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t<button type=\"submit\" class=\"practice-search-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M10.6796 0.130005C9.15708 0.130059 7.66615 0.5646 6.38198 1.38258C5.09781 2.20057 4.07373 3.36803 3.43004 4.74783C2.78634 6.12763 2.54976 7.66246 2.74808 9.17205C2.9464 10.6816 3.57139 12.1033 4.54964 13.27L0.729639 17.08C0.6364 17.1732 0.562439 17.2839 0.511979 17.4058C0.461519 17.5276 0.435547 17.6581 0.435547 17.79C0.435547 17.9219 0.461519 18.0524 0.511979 18.1743C0.562439 18.2961 0.6364 18.4068 0.729639 18.5C0.917942 18.6883 1.17334 18.7941 1.43964 18.7941C1.5715 18.7941 1.70207 18.7681 1.82389 18.7177C1.94571 18.6672 2.0564 18.5932 2.14964 18.5L5.99964 14.62C7.35406 15.6038 8.98566 16.1324 10.6596 16.13C12.7814 16.13 14.8162 15.2871 16.3165 13.7869C17.8168 12.2866 18.6596 10.2517 18.6596 8.13C18.6596 6.00827 17.8168 3.97344 16.3165 2.47315C14.8162 0.97286 12.7814 0.130005 10.6596 0.130005H10.6796ZM10.6796 14.13C9.49295 14.13 8.33291 13.7781 7.34622 13.1188C6.35952 12.4595 5.59049 11.5225 5.13636 10.4261C4.68224 9.32975 4.56342 8.12335 4.79493 6.95946C5.02644 5.79558 5.59788 4.72648 6.437 3.88736C7.27611 3.04825 8.34521 2.4768 9.5091 2.24529C10.673 2.01378 11.8794 2.1326 12.9757 2.58673C14.0721 3.04085 15.0092 3.80989 15.6685 4.79658C16.3277 5.78328 16.6796 6.94332 16.6796 8.13C16.6796 9.7213 16.0475 11.2474 14.9223 12.3726C13.7971 13.4979 12.2709 14.13 10.6796 14.13Z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"practice-search-use-my-location\">\n\t\t\tSearch near me\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\n\t<\/form>\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<h2><b>Risks of wearing costume contact lenses<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Unless they are properly cared for, all contact lenses have the potential to cause major ocular problems, including eye infections and scratches on your eye that can lead to vision loss.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><b>Eye infections caused by bacteria, fungus and parasites. <\/b>These are more common in contact lens wearers than in non-wearers. One of these microscopic organisms can cause you to lose your central vision.<\/li>\n<li><b>Reduced oxygen. <\/b>Keep in mind that a contact lens is a piece of plastic that covers the eye&#8217;s front surface and can block oxygen from reaching it. The formation of new blood vessels, redness, watery eyes, and discomfort are all signs and symptoms of an oxygen-deficient eye. Most contact lenses are safe for those who wear them according to their eye doctor&#8217;s instructions.<\/li>\n<li><b>Non-sterile storage. <\/b>Costume contact lenses can also be dangerous since they are usually not stored in sterile casing. Many times these lenses arrive in non-sterile containers which have had no manufacturer&#8217;s oversight and guarantee of being free of bacteria and other serious pathogens. The suppliers of these lenses most often do not provide any storage or cleaning solutions to ensure their cleanliness going forward.<\/li>\n<li><b>There is no one-size-fits-all contact lens. <\/b>Contact lenses are available in a huge variety of materials, designs, and sizes. An eye doctor is the only one who can tell you whether or not a contact lens is safe for your eyes and prescribe the best lenses for your eyes. Corneal abrasions, allergic reactions, and poor vision can all be caused by poorly fitted contact lenses.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><b>Visit an optometrist first<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Despite the risks of wearing contact lenses, costume contact lenses can be a safe and enjoyable way to dress up for Halloween or any other occasion, provided they are made by a reliable manufacturer and prescribed by an eye doctor.<\/p>\n<p><b>If you want to wear contact lenses, always have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-exams\/\">full eye examination<\/a> by an eye doctor first.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Your doctor will fit you with contact lenses that are safe for you to use after checking that your eyes are healthy and that you can see well. You&#8217;ll also get instructions on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-childrens-eye-exams\/can-kids-wear-contact-lenses\/contact-lenses-safety-for-children\/\">how to clean and care for your contacts,<\/a> as well as how long you can wear them.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the exam, your doctor will offer you a prescription for contact lenses.<\/p>\n<p>If you do decide to use costume contact lenses, follow your eye doctor&#8217;s instructions in order to prevent red eyes, blurred vision, pain, or light sensitivity.<\/p>\n<p><strong>LEARN MORE:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/\">Optical and Contact Lenses<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>If you want to wear contact lenses for any occasion, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">contact an eye doctor near you.<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i>Costume contact lenses are not toys, even though they are a fun accessory to wear at certain occasions.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>If you wish to wear lenses, always get a prescription from your eye doctor first and stay away from online retailers that don&#8217;t require a prescription.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here\u2019s one Halloween scare to avoid: Costume contact lenses.\u00a0 Costume contact lenses can alter your eyes&#8217; look without correcting your vision. These lenses can change<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1206,"featured_media":19871,"parent":12548,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-article.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19870","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>A Halloween Scare: Contact Lenses\u00a0 - Optometrists.org<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Halloween Scare: Contact Lenses\u00a0 - Optometrists.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Here\u2019s one Halloween scare to avoid: Costume contact lenses.\u00a0 Costume contact lenses can alter your eyes&#8217; look without correcting your vision. These lenses can change\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Optometrists.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Halloween1280x853_preview1-1024x682-1.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"682\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/\",\"name\":\"A Halloween Scare: Contact Lenses\u00a0 - Optometrists.org\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Halloween1280x853_preview1-1024x682-1.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-11-04T10:08:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-11-04T10:08:19+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Halloween1280x853_preview1-1024x682-1.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Halloween1280x853_preview1-1024x682-1.jpeg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":682},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Primary Eye Care\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Optical and Contact Lenses\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Guide to Contact Lenses\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":5,\"name\":\"A Halloween Scare: Contact Lenses\u00a0\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/\",\"name\":\"Optometrists.org\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"A Halloween Scare: Contact Lenses\u00a0 - Optometrists.org","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"A Halloween Scare: Contact Lenses\u00a0 - Optometrists.org","og_description":"Here\u2019s one Halloween scare to avoid: Costume contact lenses.\u00a0 Costume contact lenses can alter your eyes&#8217; look without correcting your vision. These lenses can change","og_url":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/","og_site_name":"Optometrists.org","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":682,"url":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Halloween1280x853_preview1-1024x682-1.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/","url":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/","name":"A Halloween Scare: Contact Lenses\u00a0 - Optometrists.org","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Halloween1280x853_preview1-1024x682-1.jpeg","datePublished":"2021-11-04T10:08:19+00:00","dateModified":"2021-11-04T10:08:19+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Halloween1280x853_preview1-1024x682-1.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Halloween1280x853_preview1-1024x682-1.jpeg","width":1024,"height":682},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/a-halloween-scare-contact-lenses\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Primary Eye Care","item":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Optical and Contact Lenses","item":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Guide to Contact Lenses","item":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-contact-lenses\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"name":"A Halloween Scare: Contact Lenses\u00a0"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/","name":"Optometrists.org","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19870","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1206"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19870"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19870\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19872,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19870\/revisions\/19872"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12548"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}