(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine along with The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness (PBO) and the Ohio Optical Dispensers Board are warning consumers about the dangers of over-the-counter sales of decorative contact lenses during this Halloween season.
“When it comes to contact lenses, there is no such thing as one size fits all,” Attorney General DeWine said. “Wearing contacts that are not fitted to your own eyes can cause serious problems, even blindness. This Halloween season, we are warning Ohioans about these risks and reminding them that contact lenses cannot be sold legally without a valid written prescription.”
Nancy Manns, Executive Director of the Ohio Optical Dispensers Board, says, “Nineteen Cease and Desist Orders have been sent out against entities found to be illegally dispensing colored, Plano (no power) cosmetic contact lenses so far this year. The Board knows this is just the tip of the iceberg. Illegal dispensing of cosmetic contact lenses has increased each year since 2010. We know there are many, many more illegal entities, such as tattoo parlors, beauty supply stores, truck stops, wig shops, gas stations, convenience stores, Craigslist and even thrift stores, who have been found to be selling contact lenses without benefit of professional evaluation and education about the care and wearing of contact lens. Improperly fitted contact lenses can cause painful eye damage leading to blindness. Contact lenses are not ‘one size fits all.’”
Manns said, “Anyone who knows where illegal dispensing/selling of contact lenses is occurring should notify the Optical Dispensers Board at the number above. The Board will accept anonymous reports.”
In June, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the Ohio Optical Dispensers Board, and Prevent Blindness joined forces to educate the promoters of a local “haunters convention” that one of its vendors was planning to allow participants at the convention to “try on” colored contact lenses and make those same lenses available to other participants to try on as well. After the promoters were educated that Ohio requires a license for dispensing optical devices and that the sale of unapproved lenses by unlicensed individuals poses a substantial threat to public safety, the vendor was prohibited from participating.
Attorney General DeWine encourages Ohioans to report illegal sales of contact lenses to the Ohio Optical Dispensers Board at 614-466-9709. As a U.S. senator, DeWine sponsored in 2005 the legislation that requires consumers to obtain a prescription from a licensed professional to purchase contact lenses, including corrective and non-corrective lenses.
“Decorative contacts in various styles and colors and the circle lenses made popular by Lady Gaga have become increasingly trendy in making a fashion statement, especially for teens. And, colored or decorative non-corrective contact lenses have become a popular element of Halloween costumes. While these contact lenses can add a fun flourish to a costume, they can also result in devastating eye infections, scarring and even blindness,” said Sherry Williams, President and CEO of The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness (PBO).
“I’ve seen many young patients who were not aware of the dangers of these products and are now living with permanent vision loss,” said Thomas L. Steinemann, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology at Case Western Reserve University/MetroHealth Medical Center and a Prevent Blindness volunteer. “Parents should be on the alert to protect their children’s vision by assuring that their contact lenses are worn only under the supervision of an eye doctor.”
Eye pain, bacterial infections, and corneal ulcers can be caused by ill-fitting lenses. One study found that wearing decorative lenses increased the risk for developing keratitis, a potentially blinding infection that causes an ulcer in the eye. This increased risk was more than 16 times more likely than those seen in vision correcting (“regular”) lenses.
Prevent Blindness offers the following safety tips regarding cosmetic contact lenses:
- Always visit a licensed eye care professional to be fitted for cosmetic contact lenses.
- Never buy contact lenses without a prescription.
- Always clean and disinfect contact lenses according to instructions.
- Always use water-soluble cosmetics or those labeled safe for use with contact lenses. Do not apply skin creams or moisturizers too close to the eyes.
- Never wear opaque lenses if you have any problems with night vision.
- Never share or trade your contact lenses with anyone.
- Be watchful about your child’s or teen’s appearance. If they are wearing cosmetic contacts, question them about where they obtained them.
Consumers with questions about purchasing cosmetic contact lenses may contact the Ohio Optical Dispensers Board at 614-466-9709 or www.optical.ohio.gov.
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Images
Serious eye injuries caused by illegally sold cosmetic contact lenses: Photo 1; Photo 2 (Photo credit: Dr. Thomas L. Steinemann)
Example of unapproved contact lens sales display: Photo 3 (Photo credit: FDA)
Media Contacts
Attorney General's Office, Dan Tierney: 614-466-3840
Optical Dispensers Board, Nancy Manns: 614-466-9707
Prevent Blindness Ohio, Whitney Anderson: 800-301-2020 ext. 105