Experts Warn Of Dangers Posed By Decorative Nonprescription Contact Lenses.
HealthDay 
(10/29, Goodwin) reported, "Contact lenses are medical devices regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)," and "it is illegal to sell them without a prescription in the United States." However, "Halloween is a time when sales of 'special effects,' 'theatrical' and 'decorative' contact lenses spike." Although "there's nothing wrong with buying decorative contacts from an optometrist...who will make sure the lens fits your eye properly, buying cheap contacts from flea markets, street vendors or beauty supply shops is dangerous, experts warn." If the contacts don't fit or are not cared for in the proper manner, those who wear them may be injured or develop an infection that could possibly lead to blindness.
FDA Warns Against Decorative Contact Lenses Without A Prescription.
KCRG-TV Cedar Rapids (10/26, Yeung) reports, "Dr. Rachel Bishop from the National Eye Institute says that people should not get decorative contacts until they've seen an eye specialist, gotten a prescription, and learned how to care for them." Otherwise, "taking shortcuts and buying these without getting an eye exam" could put "a person at significant risk," ranging from "irritated eyes to permanent vision loss." The FDA said "even decorative lenses are prescription, so over-the-counter sales are illegal."
The Star-Ledger (10/26, Baxter) reports the FDA has "received reports of the lenses causing corneal ulcers, eye infections and vision loss because of people not using them properly, or because they were not designed properly for someone's eyes," according to the FDA.
