Keeping Your Eyes Safe This Halloween

Posted on: Oct 30 2014

By: admin

If you’ve ever gone out on Halloween, you’ve probably noticed someone using decorative contact lenses to enhance their costume. These lenses can change the color of your eyes and even give the illusion that your eyes belong to a cat, vampire, zombie, or something similar. What you may not realize is just how dangerous these contact lenses can be if they’re not prescribed by an eye care professional. Keep reading to learn about some of the eye problems costume lenses can bring about, as outlined by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Corneal abrasions. Unlike prescription contact lenses, costume contacts are not sized or fitted to match the unique shape of our eyes. This can greatly increase the risk for scratches to occur on the outer layer of the eye, referred to as corneal abrasions. These abrasions can leave patients with a number of different symptoms, like light sensitivity, redness, and more.
Corneal ulcers. Costume contact lenses can also cause corneal ulcers, or open sores that appear on the cornea. Much like corneal abrasions, they can bring about symptoms like redness, eye pain and soreness, blurred vision, and more. Scarring may also occur, which can leave patients with permanent vision impairment.
Infections. While corneal ulcers and abrasions can cause unwanted symptoms on their own, they can also leave eyes more vulnerable to bacterial infections like keratitis. This infection causes an ulcer on the eye, and can cause blindness if left untreated. In a study, researchers found that 60% of patients who developed keratitis from wearing costume contact lenses suffered some type of permanent vision loss.
Blindness. In some cases, the complications brought on by decorative contact lenses can actually cause blindness or require surgery. If you have worn decorative lenses recently, speak to your ophthalmologist as soon as possible to aid in the early detection and treatment of any eye problems.
Contact Dr. Stefano To Learn More About Your Eye Health
For more information costume contact lenses and the impact they can have on vision, contact us today and schedule an appointment. Our offices are located in Winchester, serving Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, and you can reach us directly at (540) 722-6200. We look forward to hearing from you!
Tagged with: blindness, contact lenses, contacts, corneal abrasions, corneal ulcers, costume contact lenses, decorative contact lenses, Dr. Stefano, halloween, infections, visionPosted in: Eye Health

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