Using coloured contacts this Halloween? Officials are reminding consumers of the risks

Using costume contact lenses this Halloween? Health Canada is reminding consumers that there are some serious risks associated with coloured lenses.

Decorative contact lenses don’t correct vision, they simply change how the eyes look. They are typically sold at costume shops, cosmetic retailers, and online.

Although they’re a fun addition to your Halloween look, Health Canada warns that they could pose significant health risks such corneal abrasions, allergic reactions, impaired vision, infections, and blindness.

Health Canada says that the risk of these side effects are higher for smokers and people with certain health conditions, such as eye infections or dry eyes. The risk of adverse effects with unlicensed decorative contact lenses may be higher than with licensed prescription contact lenses.

To help make decorative contact lenses safer, Health Canada began regulating these products as medical devices in 2016. This means that they must be licensed by Health Canada before they can be sold.

As of October 2018, Health Canada says eight companies are licensed to manufacture decorative contact lenses, including Alcon Laboratories Inc., Bausch & Lomb Inc., Ciba Vision Corporation, Coopervision Inc., Geo Medical Co., Ltd., Les Lesieur Enterprises Inc., Neo Vision Co. Ltd., Unicon Optical Co., Ltd.

To use the lenses safely, health officials say it’s important to follow the product instructions. They also warn users to thoroughly wash and dry hands before handling or cleaning lenses, and to never share lenses with anyone or sleep with decorative lenses in, unless they are designed for that purpose.