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Optical Bodies Warn, “Don’t Lose Sight of the Risks When Buying Contact Lenses”
Optical Bodies Warn, “Don’t Lose Sight of the Risks When Buying Contact Lenses”
14 July 2008
The General Optical Council and British Contact Lens Association are today urging consumers to follow advice on buying contact lenses safely.
The bodies are taking action following reports of cases of contact lens wearers experiencing eye health problems after buying lenses without getting proper eye care and advice.
Two new studies from Australia and the US have also suggested increased risks associated with purchasing contact lenses online. The risk of serious infection was found to be nearly five times higher. Consumers who bought contact lenses from sources other than their eye care practitioner were found to be less likely to comply with good eye care practices.
Professor Roger Buckley, one of the GOC’s clinical advisers, said: “Any contact lens is in direct contact with the eye. That carries a risk of irritation and infection, especially if instructions are not carefully followed, which could lead to long term problems for the wearer.
“It’s incredibly important to have a fitting before wearing contact lenses for the first time, and to have regular check-ups. Contact lens wearers should get professional advice to avoid putting their eyesight at risk.”
Sales of contact lenses are regulated to protect consumers from eye health problems. Sellers, including internet retailers, must check customers’ ‘specification’, issued by their contact lens practitioner, before supplying corrective lenses. Zero-powered lenses (that change the colour or appearance of the eye rather than correct eyesight) can only be sold under supervision of a registered optometrist, dispensing optician or medical practitioner.
Around 3.4 million people (seven per cent of all adults) in the UK wear contact lenses. Contact lenses offer many benefits to wearers and serious infections are normally rare, affecting only four in 10,000 wearers per year. The GOC and BCLA have issued a joint leaflet on ‘Buying Contact Lenses’ to encourage safe practice among consumers buying contact lenses. The leaflet and further advice are available from the GOC website, or the BCLA website.