10/30/2025
As Halloween nears, remember those costume contact lenses are not all they’re cracked up to be!
Costume lenses must be prescribed and fitted by an eye doctor just like regular contact lenses. Otherwise, you may be haunted by an eye infection long after the fun of Halloween is over.
Contact lenses that are not fitted for your eye can scratch the cornea, making the eye more vulnerable to infection-causing bacteria and viruses. Sometimes the scarring from an infection is so bad, a corneal transplant is required to restore vision. In the most extreme cases, an infection can lead to blindness.
Keep these tips in mind to avoid the horrors of an eye infection this Halloween:
Buy only FDA-approved products. The safest places to buy any type of contact lenses is directly from BELC or from retailers that require an eye doctor's prescription for FDA-approved lenses.
Never share contacts or cosmetics. Sharing contacts or eye makeup can spread germs and bacteria, potentially causing infection such as pink eye.
Practice good hygiene. It is important to follow directions for safely cleaning, disinfecting, and wearing costume contacts. Ask your eye care professional for tips on how to care for your lenses.
Limit wear of colored contact lenses to four or five hours. The dye and less expensive materials used in costume lenses can restrict oxygen flow to the cornea. Less “breathable” lenses are less healthy for the eye. Never sleep in contact lenses, even if you have a prescription.
