FDA Issues Warning Against Obtaining Decorative Contact Lenses Without a Prescription and Professional Fitting; Wearing Cat Eyes for Halloween May be for the Birds.

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 24, 2002

Before you put those cat eye lenses in this Halloween season, think again. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning this week to consumers about serious risks of permanent eye injury and potential blindness as a result of wearing non-corrective, decorative lenses sold without a prescription and without proper fitting by an eye care professional.

The Minnesota Optometric Association (MOA) has long warned that obtaining any contact lenses without a current prescription or proper fitting poses potential eye health risks. "As family eye doctors, we are trying to change consumers' perception of contact lenses as cosmetic accessories, because contact lenses by nature are medical devices, which can effect the overall eye health of the patient," said Dr. Michael Perez, president of the Minnesota Optometric Association (MOA) and a family eye doctor in Park Rapids, Minnesota.

The MOA worked with the Minnesota legislature to draft a bill that was passed this year, which specifies that consumers may obtain contact lenses from a distributor of choice, but only with a current prescription and after a proper fitting by an eye doctor.

The FDA is serious about ending the marketing of non-prescribed decorative lenses, and said it plans to detain any shipments into the U.S. at port of entry, and to seize decorative lenses on the market now in violation of federal law. The FDA said in its report that various retailers and even flea markets are marketing these decorative lenses, as accessories to costumes and as novelty wear.

Reports of injury and infection that the FDA has received include corneal ulcer, which can progress rapidly to internal ocular infection if left untreated and can lead to corneal scarring and vision impairment. Other results include conjunctivitis, an infection of the eye, corneal edema (swelling), allergic relation and corneal abrasion from poor lens fit, as well as reduction in visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and other visual functions. Besides being dangerous to the eye, these "fun" lenses probably aren't safe for driving, either.

What if you have already experienced problems with non-prescribed decorative lenses? Of course, stop using the lenses immediately. Then notify the FDA of problems associated with the lenses by submitting complaints to the FDA district office consumer complaint coordinator. The Minnesota FDA complaint coordinator can be reached at [phone], extension 184.

Visit www.MNEyeDocs.org for more information about eye health and vision.

The Minnesota Optometric Association has 525 member doctors of optometry around the state. The MOA is committed to furthering awareness of optometrists as primary eye care or family eye doctors and to bringing about change that positively impacts the MOA member doctors and their patients.