Keep the frights to the horror movies and fun little tricks by exercising eye safety this Halloween. Whether you go all out or you like a last-minute makeup look and closet costume, costumes and makeup can hurt your eyes if you’re not careful. While red eyes can look cool for a demon or vampire costume, you don’t want said redness to be the result of an infection.  

Here are some Halloween eye safety tips that you can utilize so that you can get the most out of your costume while protecting the health and safety of your eyes. 

#1. Be Mindful Of Your Colored Contacts

In our previous blog, Colored Contacts And Your Eyes: Keep Your Eyes Safe This Halloween, we discussed colored contacts and the risks associated with buying colored contact lenses from a Halloween store or novelty shop. You can certainly use colored contacts for your Halloween costume, but ensure that you purchase them from a store that requires you to supply them with your prescription. 

That way, you can rest assured that your colored contacts are FDA-approved and you can avoid the risks of non-prescription colored contact lenses, such as scratched eyes, pink eye, vision loss, and even blindness. 

#2. Don’t Share Makeup

It can be tempting to share makeup with your friends, especially if you bought something specifically for your costume and you’re trying to save money by sharing the goodness. However, makeup is something you want to be selfish with. 

This is because if you share your makeup, you could spread bacteria and suffer infections. Maybe your friend has the perfect eye shadow for you, but saving a bit of money by sharing makeup isn’t worth risking pink eye or a stye or another eye problem. Even if you or your friends feel like your eyes are healthy, it’s best to avoid sharing makeup. 

If one of your friends is a professional makeup artist and knows how to properly sanitize makeup between different people using it, this can be okay, but still, it is better safe than sorry. 

#3. Stay Away From Craft Glitter

Fairies, princesses, mermaids, aliens – there are so many different costumes that can be enhanced with glitter makeup! You can sparkle to your heart’s desire, but ensure that you’re practicing eye safety and don’t use craft glitter for your makeup – especially not near your eyes. Craft glitter has sharp edges and harmful ingredients that can hurt both your skin and your eyes.

If you want to do a sparkly Halloween makeup look, stick with shimmery eyeshadows and cosmetic glitter, that is rounded so it won’t cut. Ensure that you use glittery makeup specifically designed for use around your eyes. Just because something is safe to use on another part of your body does not mean that it’s safe to use around your eyes. If the makeup does not specifically mention eyes on the packaging, keep it away from your eyes. 

It’s best to keep even cosmetic glitter away from your eyes, as if it gets into them, it can scratch them and cause infections or other damage. This can be even worse if you wear contact lenses. Even makeup specifically designed and approved for use around your eyes can get into them and hurt them, so be very careful to exercise caution and apply it properly.

#4. Don’t Use Products Not Intended For Your Skin

It can be tempting to use normal paints instead of special face paints in order to save some money, but this can cause many different adverse reactions, both in your eyes and your skin. Ensure that what you use is FDA-approved for cosmetic use. Never use super glue as lash glue, craft glitter instead of cosmetic glitter, or normal paint instead of body paint.

Bear in mind that as previously mentioned, just because makeup is safe for your skin does not necessarily mean that it’s safe to use it around your eyes. Always ensure that any product you use states on the packaging that it is safe to use around your eyes. 

#5. Don’t Use Last Year’s Halloween Makeup

Many people don’t realize that makeup expires. If you use expired makeup, you can experience eye infections and other adverse reactions. We know it can be disappointing if you purchase something specifically for your costume only to learn that you can’t use the makeup again next year, but this is your health and safety that we’re talking about here. Only use makeup that is not expired.

Wolcott Optical is passionate about helping people with their vision and their eye health. If you need an eye exam or have questions about practicing eye safety this Halloween, please don’t hesitate to contact us today! We’re here to help.

It can be beyond cool to truly get into character this Halloween and switch up your look with colored contacts. Whether you want to change your eye color to another natural shade or you want to delve into more unnatural colors and pupil types, like snake eyes, it’s crucial that you exercise caution with your colored contact lens in order to keep your eyes safe and healthy.

Colored contacts can be safe, but they can also blind you or cause permanent eye damage if you do not purchase them from appropriate retailers. Here is what you need to know about colored contacts and how to keep your eyes safe this Halloween.

Are Colored Contacts Safe?

They can be! It depends on whether or not the retailer requires your prescription and is FDA-approved or not.

If you obtain your colored contact lenses from a retailer that requires you to provide your prescription and the name and number of your eye doctor, they are likely compliant with FDA regulations, and ergo, are safe. Once receiving your FDA-approved colored contact lenses, you will want to practice contact lens hygiene while storing, cleaning, and wearing the lenses. 

However, many retailers sell colored contact lenses illegally. These are not safe and can cause serious harm to your eyes. 

Why Do You Need A Prescription For Colored Contact Lenses?

Contact lenses, even non-prescription contact lenses, are medical devices. This means that they are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and that you need a prescription from an eye doctor in order to obtain them. 

If It’s Illegal To Sell Colored Contacts Without A Prescription, Why Can You Buy Them?

Many, many different retailers use Halloween in order to sell colored contact lenses, also known as cosplay contacts, costume contacts, and decorative contacts. If they do not require you to provide your prescription, they are breaking the law, as contact lenses are medical devices that necessitate a prescription and must be FDA-approved. 

Unfortunately, it is easy to find non-prescription colored contact lenses in many different places, especially online. You should never purchase contact lenses from:

• Online shops that do not require your prescription
• Gas stations
• Salons
• Halloween stores
• Convenience stores
• Flea markets
• Or any other shop that does not require your prescription and the name and contact information of your eye doctor. 

If you find a shop or a site that you think is selling contacts illegally, you can report them to the FDA. 

Why Is It So Important To Have A Prescription For Contacts?

Since costume contacts are often advertised as an accessory or a cosmetic, many people don’t realize how crucial it is that you have a prescription for them, even if you do not normally need corrective lenses. If you do not need glasses or contacts, you may assume that you’re fine to get colored lenses without a prescription, since you don’t typically use one.

However, your prescription is more than just how much correction your lenses need. It also ensures that your contacts are fitted properly to your eyes. Contact lenses are not a one-size-fits-all product. Wearing improperly fitted lenses can cause severe damage to your eyes. 

Some of the eye damages you can experience from improperly fitting lenses include:

• Eye infections
• Scratches on your cornea
• Pink eye
• Vision loss
• Blindness

The American Academy of Ophthalmology warns that permanent eye damage can occur even after only wearing non-prescription colored lenses once. They list multiple stories about people who suffered severe eye damage from colored lenses that they purchased without a prescription, who mentioned experiencing the contacts sticking to their eyes like suction cups and needing to go to the emergency room. 

Switching up your look for one night with non-prescription lenses is not worth potential blindness. It’s worth going the longer route to obtain them safely and legally so that you can both enjoy a fun, new look and keep your vision protected.

How Do You Get Safe Colored Contact Lenses?

If you have your heart set on changing your eye color for your Halloween costume, or simply for fun, you can still do this, so long as you go through the proper channels! Here’s how you can get colored contact lenses that are safe for your eyes.

1. Get an eye exam. Even if you don’t need corrective lenses, your eye doctor will need to measure your eyes in order to ensure that you are a good candidate for contact lenses and so that your contacts fit correctly. 
2. Get your prescription. This doesn’t just include lens strength, but also their measurements, an expiration date, and the name of the brand of lens your eye doctor suggests.
3. Purchase your contacts from a seller that requires your prescription. Some online sites can be sneaky, and claim to sell “prescription” lenses, by just allowing you to choose lens strength. These are not fitted to your eyes. You want to purchase your colored contact lenses from a site that actually requires your prescription.
4. Be safe while using them. This includes cleaning them, storing them properly, wearing them properly, never sharing them with someone else, and following all the instructions. If you experience any pain or discomfort or redness while wearing your contacts, it’s crucial that you see your eye doctor as soon as possible. 

Keep Your Eyes Safe This Halloween With A Prescription

Some frights can be fun, but when it comes to your eyesight, it’s vital that you do whatever you can to protect your eyes. Buying colored contact lenses can be very fun, but always ensure that you’re safe and you purchase them from a legal source. Non-prescription colored contact lenses are incredibly dangerous, and the risks simply aren’t worth the temporary satisfaction of having purple eyes for the night. 

Keep your eyes safe by ensuring that you buy your colored contact lenses from a legal source and have a prescription for them. 

Wolcott Optical is here to help you with your contact lens needs. If you need contact lenses, please do not hesitate to contact us.