You want to step it up a notch this Halloween with the spooky ghoulish cosmetic contacts? Optometrists warn what's spookier is the eye infections they can cause.
The creepy contacts some people wear for Halloween can haunt some long past October 31.
“I want to tell you why you should avoid wearing costume contacts,” said Jordyn Oakland in a TikTok video.
The esthetician shared a warning on TikTok after she pulled off an outer layer of her cornea from wearing black costume contact she bought online last year for a Halloween costume.
“I reached in and pulled and it kind of felt like it was stuck,” said Oakland. “So, I pulled it out, my eye started watering. The next morning, I woke up I couldn't open my eye. It was so painful."
The infections are all too common after Halloween.
“Some of these are permeable from oxygen meaning they are literally suffocating your cornea,” said Dr. Sloan Rajadhyksha, Optometrist at Beyond Vision Center.
The Carlsbad optometrist said over-the-counter contacts are dangerous.
“That can cause infection, scarring, and worst-case scenario permanent vision loss and blindness,” said Rajadhyksha.
She said some of the unregulated cosplay lenses have been tested with results showing they can have the same bacteria found in hospital wastewater and spoiled food.
“Some of it is even known to house lead, harmful bacteria and even chlorine which is extremely dangerous to your eye,” said Rajadhyksha.
News 8 went into a San Diego Halloween Spirit store and couldn’t find contact lenses - the cashier also said they didn’t sell them. They weren’t inside a Walmart either. A quick Google shopping search listed several lenses for cheap online.
“I had a feeling they were not good. There were no reviews. You couldn't figure out who the manufacture was - so big red flag - but against my better judgment I still ordered them because - duh, the look,” said Oakland.
Doctors say what’s misleading is the non-prescription contacts are sold as cosmetic but the CDC highly discourages them because they are illegal and not FDA approved.
“Research shows that last year alone a quarter of the Halloween contacts were purchased with no medical guidance,” Rajadhyksha said.
Contacts are medical devices so don’t be tricked into wearing store-bought spooky contacts.
“The last thing you want is to be on TikTok the day after Halloween with your eye glued shut. You don't want that to be your claim to fame,” said Rajadhyksha.
Optometrists said they are not taking the fun out of Halloween but recommend if you are going to wear eerie contacts to consult an eye specialist for an exam and prescription.