Scary Side Effects of Cosmetic Lenses and a Small Victory for Mom!

When it comes to Halloween costumes, sometimes my kids want to go overboard and by overboard I mean crazy things like heels I wouldn’t be caught dead in and crazy cosmetic contact lenses.  My oldest daughter has been driving me crazy to order her these creepy looking cosmetic lenses for weeks now and while I keep saying “NO!” she keeps insisting…until I showed her the press release that came into my inbox yesterday.  After reading about the scary side effects of cosmetic lenses, she’s sorta changed the direction of her Halloween costume…hmm, who woulda thought that a press release could have helped me win that battle…still working on finding a press release to help me win the war that is parenting a teen…stay tuned.  In the meantime, you can check out some of the possible side effects of cosmetic lenses, you know, just in case you’re waging the same battle with your teen.

“The American Academy of Ophthalmology warns parents and teenagers about the dangers of wearing non-prescription decorative contact lenses, which can lead to eye damage or vision loss due to improper fitting.

To keep your child’s eyes safe:

· Kids should receive a complete eye exam yearly by an eye care professional and obtain a valid contact lens prescription, even for cosmetic lenses

· Decorative lenses should never be worn without an eye exam and a prescription

· Contact lenses should never be shared with another person

· Be sure to wash hands thoroughly with mild soup before insertion and never wear them for longer than recommended

· Examine lenses before putting them in your eye – they should be moist, clean, clear and free from any nicks or tears

· Remove lenses immediately if you experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes and redness and consult your eye care professional immediately “

Check out this list of Contact Lens Dos and Don’ts from ACUVUE or if podcasts are more you thing you can check out BlogTalkRadio’s Healthy Vision podcast for safe wear and care of contact lenses.

Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this post,…I just thought some other Mom or Dad out there might find this information useful.