Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in an Influencer campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. and received a promotional item from Mom Central to thank me for participating.
I’ve been wearing glasses since I was 10 years old and contacts since I was 14. I LOVE wearing contacts and I especially love wearing cosmetic contact lenses to complete my Halloween costume each year. I have this pair of white contacts that look absolutely fabulous with my vampire costume. What I didn’t know when I purchased them online, though, is that by buying them over the counter without proper fitting and oversight by my eye doctor, I’m putting my eyes at risk. Over the counter (OTC) contacts can cause serious risk and/or permanent damage to the health of eyes. I honestly had no idea.
DID YOU KNOW?
[easy-tweet tweet=”A contact lens is a medical device. In the US, ALL contacts lenses, even purely cosmetic ones, require a prescription from an eye care pro!”]
I always thought that contacts were contacts and it was completely safe to wear the cosmetic kind without a prescription. My teen son is wanting to wear contacts instead of glasses and of course we’ll be going to the eye Dr. and following all the rules for contact wearing when we do decide he’s ready. And I do follow safe contact wearing guidelines when wearing OTC cosmetic contacts, but I had NO idea that I needed a prescription for those as well. I would have let him buy a pair as a test to see how he handles them! I also would have let him buy OTC cosmetic contact lenses for completing his Halloween costume. And of course, I have mine that I wear for Halloween.
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.,manufacturer of ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses reminds us – especially teens – how important it is to practice safe contact lens wear and care – from obtaining contact lenses via a prescription from a licensed eye care professional, to practicing good hygiene habits when inserting/removing contact lenses as well as the importance of following wearing and replacement schedules, proper lens care, and disinfecting routines as directed by care professional.
I know contact lens wearers who never wash their hands prior to putting in their lenses. They don’t change their solution regularly or even clean their contacts regularly. I’m surprised they can even see!
As gross as all that is, I now know that contact lens wearing isn’t just about good hygiene. It’s also about where you get them in the first place.
The Statistics:
Halloween isn’t the only time of year that people try contact lenses without a prescription. According to the American Optometric Association’s 2013 American Eye-‐Q® consumer survey, 17 percent of Americans have worn decorativecontact lenses that don’t provide vision correction as part of a costume or for other cosmetic purposes. Of those individuals, 24 percent purchased them without a prescription from a source other than an eye doctor.
Honestly, I would have gone on wearing my freaky white contact lenses and possibly even let my son buy OTC lenses for trying out or to complete a costume look never even thinking about the fact that they might not have been created with the same standards as prescription lenses. The thought never even occurred to me until I was reading over the facts for this Johnson & Johnson campaign.
If you’re a regular contact wearer you most like know all the Do’s and Don’ts of prescription contact wearing. But if you’re new to contacts or in case you don’t know, here are some for you.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Eye Care Safety: Follow these tips to make sure that you are wearing and caring for your contact lenses safely and effectively.
DO:
- Wash and rinse your hands thoroughly with a mild soap and dry with a lint-‐free towel before handling your lenses
- Put in your contacts before you put on your makeup or any costume paint.
- Remove lenses immediately if you experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, and redness of the eye or other problems and promptly contact your eye care professional
- Always remove, clean and disinfect your lenses according to the schedule recommended by your eye doctor
DON’T:
- Wear another person’s lenses
- Wear lenses longer than the time frame recommended by your eye doctor
- Rinse your lenses in water from the tap or expose them to any water—such as swimming or showering—while wearing them
- Use anything aside from recommended solution by your eye doctor, such as saliva, to lubricate your lenses
Ok after reading the don’ts I’m a bit grossed out. I mean, seriously, people use their own saliva to lubricate their lenses. I can NOT ever imagine putting my contacts in my mouth, on my tongue or otherwise to re-wet them. What do you just “lick -n- stick”? EWW!
Anyway, after learning that prescription contact lenses are the only ones safe for my eyes, I may love my white OTC lenses but I’ll stick with the ones prescribed by my eye Dr. and just get a pair pf prescription cosmetic lenses (colored lenses). Besides, it would a lot better to actually be able to see through them without needing glasses too! 😀
And prescription contact lenses are the ONLY ones my teens will ever get!
TIP:
For more information, check out “Healthy Vision & Contact Lenses,” a resource with additional tips and information from Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
Are you and/or your teenager aware and practice all of the dos and don’ts listed above?
We are not doctors and this is in no way intended to be used as medical advice and we cannot be held responsible for your results. As with any product, service or supplement, use at your own risk. Always do your own research before using.
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I am a stay-at-home- mom, living in KY with my husband and children. I’m a travel and lifestyle blogger encouraging folks to live their life one adventure at a time while also focusing on beauty, essential oils and health. From time to time I also like to showcase my adorable pets along with my family. Along with Cinnamon Hollow I can be found at The Martin Family Adventure … read more
I can’t imagine them also… Yikes, saliva as a lubricate for lenses..ugh that’s kinda gross. I don’t think anyone would think of spitting their own contacts. and if someone did, gosh, that person needs to really listen to his doctor.
I know, right? NASTY!
I can only imagine how frustrating it is to put on your makeup and then realize that you haven’t put your contacts in. Thank you for illustrating how important it is to keep the lenses clean so that you can protect your eyes. I can’t imagine using my own saliva to clean contacts. It just doesn’t seem right.
Chrystal, that’s great to know about the do’s and don’t of wearing contact lenses. For me, it sure is something to maybe share to my wife since our son asked if he can get prescription contacts to wear. Somehow his glasses kept breaking that it just made it difficult for him to go without one all day.