Eye experts have warned that young people are placing their sight at risk by using and sharing cosmetic colored contact lenses, which were made popular because of TV shows and movies such as the Vampire Diaries and Twilight.
The U.K's General Optical Council said that that these cosmetic lenses that change the color of the eyes were being shared between friends, increasing the users' risks of contracting corneal ulcers and other infections.
The cosmetic lenses can be bought online and are also available on market stalls and some shops, regardless that the law requires contact lenses be dispensed in the presence of an optician or a medical professional.
"Opticians make sure that contact lenses fit properly and that wearers receive expert advice on how to wear and store them safely," said General Optical Council director of strategy Alistair Bridge. "They will also offer important advice such as not to sleep in contact lenses and to never share or swap lenses, which can spread eye disease."
Another problem with cosmetic lenses is that they are often manufactured on a "one size fits all" basis, so they are not often tailored to the needs of the wearer, increasing risks for eye problems.
24-year old beauty therapist Sarah Richards can attest to the dangers posed by novelty contact lenses. The lenses she wore at a party stuck to her eyeballs, causing infection that prevented her from reporting to work for a week.
She was treated in an NHS walk-in center, where she was given an eye bath and eye drops, as well as advised to avoid straining her eyes and using makeup or lenses.
"I would say to anyone thinking about novelty contact lenses to think twice, you need to be so careful and make sure that you know what you're doing with them before they go anywhere near your face," she warned.
Chartered Trading Standards Institute chief executive Leon Livermore advised against buying cosmetic contact lenses from the internet or from retailers because without professional supervision, there is the possibility of health concerns for the wearer. He said it is crucial that cosmetic lenses be fitted by qualified professionals capable of giving advice on safe use.
The warning comes just in time before the Halloween when many people would be using cosmetic lenses to enhance their outfits. The colored eye lenses are particularly popular among Halloween revelers who want to recreate the look of vampires.
