Decorative Contact Lenses: Are They Safe?

We’ve all seen cool costumes of people going above and beyond to replicate their favourite characters. Some even go as far as creating their own costumes to cosplay, which includes investing in eye-catching decorative contact lenses. Decorative contact lenses are also known as fashion contact lenses, coloured contact lenses, Halloween contact lenses, cosmetic contact lenses and theatrical contact lenses.

These decorative contact lenses have the ability to change the colour of your eyes, but don’t necessarily correct your vision. However, it is possible to get prescription decorative contacts, but make sure you consult your optician first!

The risks of wearing them

Just like regular contact lenses, wearing decorative contacts also has some risks. If they’re not prescribed or used in the correct way, it can lead to serious eye damage. These are risks such as:

• Corneal abrasion, which is when your eyeball’s top layer is cut or scratched.
• Allergic reactions that can make your eyes itchy, watery or red.
• A decrease in vision
• Eye infections
• Blindness

If you’re worried about getting an eye infection, make sure you check your eyes for any redness, worsening vision and pain that stays for a long time. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, make sure you consult an optometrist or an ophthalmologist immediately. Not checking these symptoms or not treating them straight away can lead to a serious eye infection, which might cause blindness.

Tips to follow

Get an eye test 

Before you decide to get decorative contact lenses, make sure you do an eye test first. An eye expert will be able to ensure that your contact lenses are fitted correctly, as well as teach you the right way of putting them in and taking them out. If you wear contact lenses that aren’t the right fit, it can damage your eyes.

Get a prescription

Contact lenses should be prescribed to you, including decorative contact lenses. Your prescription should show the name of the brand, the expiration date and the measurements of the lenses.

Make sure you follow any instructions

When you’ve been prescribed lenses, make sure you follow any instructions a professional has told you. These should be instructions that tell you how to put them on, how to remove them and how to disinfect them.

Seek professional help immediately if you think you have an eye infection

If you’re showing any signs of an eye infection, make sure you remove any lenses you have on and consult professional help immediately.

Don’t share your lenses

It’s important to note that everyone’s eyes are different and your contact lenses are tailored to you. Just like how you’re not supposed to wear anyone else’s glasses, make sure you don’t wear someone else’s lenses and you should also avoid sharing yours.

This is everything you need to know about decorative lenses and the tips you should follow. If you need advice, help or for any enquiries, have a chat with our opticians from our directory here. Alternatively, you can also contact our healthcare professionals.

If it’s your first time wearing contact lenses, have a read through these 5 Tips for Contact Lens Beginners!

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