Decorative Contact Lenses Can Cause Infection

If you're looking for vampire eyes, a variety of websites sell decorative contact lenses with crazy colors and designs.

But Bascom Palmer opthamologist Dr. Sonia Yoo explains why she isn't wild about this popular Hollywood trend.

"The real problem with these cosmetic lenses is they aren't regulated so you're not sure of their sterile or fit your eye properly, and when you wear lenses like these, you're really putting yourself at risk for infection or an abrasion that could cause you to lose vision," Yoo said.

At La Casa De Los Trucos in Little Havana, they carry dozens of different styles.

"The popular ones are cat eyes, the red vampire," said store manager Jorge Torres.

15-year-old Matt Chapelli came in to buy some decorative lenses.

"I was looking for some kind of cool design to put on my eyes for a costume but I guess I can't," Chapelli said.

That's because he didn't have the right prescription for them. The packaging on one pair says prescription needed, a little-known regulation.

"Since 2006 there is a federal statute that says you have to sell them with a prescription," Torres said. "It's called a cosmetic contact lens prescription."

While you can find instructional videos on YouTube, eye experts say it's not easy for first-time users to put in or remove these contacts. The FDA mandates these lenses carry instructions for safe use.

At the emergency room at Bascom Palmer last year, Dr. Yoo saw a patient "who came in wearing cosmetic lenses I believe were Lady Gaga lenses and she in fact developed trauma and an infection and had visula loss related to using these cosmetic lenses."

Contact lenses, even if worn only for cosmetic reasons, are technically medical devices that must be worn under the supervision of an eye care provider. The FDA also points out that decorative lenses could interfere with driving.

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