Do not get spooked by eye damage this Halloween

Patient X came in as they had been to a Halloween party. They used coloured cosmetic contact lenses they bought online. They didn’t take them out to sleep and has woken up with very sore red eyes.

Patient X booked an emergency advice appointment with our Optometrist who had a look using a slit lamp (eye microscope). They noticed that Patient x had an ulcer on their cornea (these are very painful and can take weeks to heal). The Optometrist advised that the patient ceased contact lenses wear and they were referred to Bristol Eye Hospital. The patient stated that they would not wear cosmetic contact lenses again.

What are the dangers of cosmetic contact lenses?

There are a few dangers to wearing these creepy contact lenses, including scratches on the cornea, eye infections, reduced vision and even blindness. Your eye is a very delicate area, and it should be looked after carefully. There have been many reports from individuals who bought and wore cheap decorative contact lenses, without understanding the risks first, and sadly paid the price.

Most experienced pain whilst wearing these contact lenses. After removing them they suffered infections, such as conjunctivitis, for around two weeks. Unfortunately, there are reports from a few who have said that their vision has worsened and/or decreased as a direct result of wearing these contact lenses.

What should I do if I fall asleep in them?

If you accidently fall asleep with your contacts in or you wear contacts for an extended period of time this will significantly reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches your cornea. This can damage your cornea’s surface and harm its ability to regenerate fresh cells, thus increasing your risk of infection. Wearing your contacts overnight gives bacteria more time to develop into an infection. If you do fall asleep with your contact lenses in, it is important to remove them as soon as you wake up. Do not pull them if they feel stuck, use eye drops and blink until they are easy to remove. After this avoid wearing them for at least a day and keep an eye on how your eyes feel. If you notice an infection book in to see us and cease contact lens wear immediately.