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FDA Publishes Cautions For Decorative Contact Lenses

By Kamal Nayan | Update Date: Jul 30, 2014 11:39 AM EDT

Decorative contact lenses are fun accessory but if not paid serious attention to, they can cause serious eye damage. 

In recommendations published recently, FDA said decorative contacts should be fitted properly by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. FDA also cautioned that it's important to get an eye exam and a valid prescription for these lenses and people should buy it only from a trustworthy seller. 

FDA also joined forces with the American Optometric Association (AOA), and the Entertainment Industries Council (EIC) to spread the word. The guidelines included: 

Visit an optometrist or ophthalmologist for an exam before using decorative contact lenses-even if you think your vision is perfect. You should also schedule follow-up exams

Be sure to get a valid prescription for these lenses. This prescription should specify the brand name, lens measurements and an expiration date.

Avoid anime, or circle, lenses. The FDA has not approved these contacts. They are larger than typical lenses in order to give those who wear them a wide-eyed, doll-like look.

Do not buy decorative contact lenses from any seller that doesn't require you to provide a prescription.

Follow all directions on how to clean, disinfect and wear the lenses.

"I think if I were to leave anybody with a piece of advice on contact lenses, it would be yeah, they're fun. They can be fantastic," Scott Smiledge of Eye Inc FX, a supplier of hand-painted contact lenses for professional production in the film and television industry, said in an FDA news release.

"Just make sure you do it the right way. Make sure that you're buying from a place that is following the rules and you're buying lenses that have been handled properly. And that your eye doctor knows about and approves of it," he added.

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