Do You Need a Prescription for Halloween Contact Lenses?
The answer is YES— while novelty contacts are designed for fun, they still are considered medical devices and cannot be purchased legally in the United States without a contact lens prescription.
You must see your eye doctor for a contact lens exam to have them properly fitted and prescribed, even if you have perfect eyesight and don’t need corrective eyewear.
Contact lenses — including special-effect lenses — are NOT a “one size fits all.”
A poor lens fit can lead to eye infection, corneal ulcer, decreased vision and even blindness. There is still time before Halloween to Schedule an Appointment.
Theatrical or novelty lenses are safe to wear — but only when they are properly prescribed and cared for, and purchased from a legitimate source.
Bacterial eye infections from contaminated, poorly fitted or improperly worn special-effect contact lenses can occur rapidly, causing a painful corneal ulcer and even blindness.
Putting the finishing touch to your Halloween costume is not worth a sight-threatening eye infection from improper contact lens use.
More about costume contact lenses
How do they work?
Special-effect contact lenses have an opaque (non-transparent) tint to completely mask your natural eye color and are available in a wide variety of dramatic colors and designs. The center of the lens, which lies over your pupil, is clear so you can see.
Most novelty or costume contact lenses cover just the colored portion of your eye (iris), but special-effect scleral lenses, like all-black, red, yellow or white contacts, cover both the iris and the white (sclera) to create a truly haunting look.
