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An expert optometrist has warned against wearing novelty contact lenses this Halloween, having shared a horror story about someone who suffered corneal swelling and 'dropped vision' as a result.

Each year, many of us like to get into the spirit of All Hallow's Eve by getting dressed up - splattering ourselves with fake blood, donning a witch's cap or Dracula teeth, covering our bodies in pale, ghostlike body paint or even wearing some seasonally creepy coloured contact lenses.

However, a n optometrist has warned that, while safe Halloween lenses are available, they often come with a greater risk.

This is largely because there is a risk of incorrect sizing , unlike with prescribed medical lenses, where factors like eye shape are taken into account. Other issues include fashion lenses sometimes being made out of cheaper, less breathable materials, which can cause irritation to the eye if left in for long periods, and the fact that the design can sometimes cover the pupil and obstruct the wearer's eyesight.

As well as this, people who aren't used to wearing contact lenses can often struggle to properly insert or remove them, or might be at risk of leaving them on too long.

Roshni Patel BSc (Hons) MCOptom , Professional Services Manager at Lenstore , described a first-hand experience of a patient who once wore Halloween lenses for the first time.

She said: "I have only ever seen one patient who has worn Halloween fashion lenses, and unfortunately I remember seeing him first thing in the morning as an emergency.

"He had never worn contact lenses before, but decided to order these lenses for a themed party. A friend had put them in for him, but that friend was not around in the early hours of the morning to help remove them. He had tried removing them himself a number of times and in the end went to sleep in them.

"When I saw him the next morning, even I struggled to remove them - they were so tightly fitted and he was in so much discomfort. On examination of his eyes, after removal, there was a lot of corneal swelling and his vision had dropped as a result. Luckily, this can resolve over time, but things could have been a lot worse.

"The issue partly occurred as the lens was too tight for him from the offset - a poorly fitted contact lens can cause a lot of issues on the eye. The other issue was that these sorts of lenses are made of a hydrogel material. They are not breathable, and therefore sleeping in them can come with its own host of issues."

Patel added: "However, despite all of this, what was most alarming was that the website he ordered them from was promoting saline to clean the lenses. Saline should never be used in this way as it can't fight against bacteria and viruses, increasing the risk of infections."

If you are thinking about buying special contact lenses for Halloween, Patel advises choosing lenses from 'trusted vendors who use quality materials' and even consulting with an optician before ordering any.

Once you've got them, make sure your hands are clean and dry when handling the lenses - both when putting them in and taking them out - and make sure you never fall asleep wearing them, as this can cause 'significant' damage.

If the lenses are reusable, use fresh contact lens solution to clean and store them.

Topics: World News, News, halloween

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