Halloween shoppers, beware of cosmetic lenses
I 'm writing to spread the word about a Halloween health danger most often affecting teens. Partygoers and trick-ortreaters looking to enhance their costumes sometimes wear nonprescriptive cosmetic contact lenses with odd designs or funky colors. These lenses are sold illegally in many states in hair and nail salons, and by street, mall and flea market vendors. In fact, federal law forbids anyone other than a licensed eye-care professional from selling contact lenses without a patient prescription.

Teens who buy these lenses often receive little, no or incorrect instruction on how to use them properly. Some teens wear the lenses for days - often sleep with them in - "wash" them with saliva, store them in tap water rather than special solution, and swap them with friends. Worse, there is no way to guarantee the condition of the lenses, which could be damaged, expired or even used before purchase. As a result, wearers can develop dangerous eye infections, scratches or corneal ulcers, and sometimes suffer irreversible vision damage or blindness. Despite their pain, some teens, afraid of getting into trouble, suffer in silence and allow infections to progress. Parents often are unaware their children even own or wear these cosmetic contact lenses.

This is a "buyer beware" issue for teens and parents. Corrective or cosmetic, lenses are never "one size fits all" and should be fitted professionally for each individual.

Michael Veliky, O.D.

President N.J. Society of Optometric

Physicians