Are Halloween Contacts Safe?

Dressing up for Halloween is something fun to look forward to each year. Depending on your costume choice, you may want to go as far as changing the appearance of your eyes! If you want to wear Halloween contacts, it is important to do so safely.

What are Halloween Contacts?

Halloween contacts are also referred to as costume, cosplay, decorative, cosmetic, fashion, or colored contact lenses. They are used to change the look of your eyes. Besides just color, Halloween contacts can also change the appearance of your pupils for costumes such as vampires or animals.

Are Halloween Contact Lenses Safe?

As long as you’re wearing the lenses as directed by your eye doctor, Halloween contacts are just as safe as regular contacts. And just like normal contact lenses, they can also cause eye irritations such as redness, pain, scratches, and infections. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recommend buying decorative contact lenses without a prescription. Therefore, Halloween contacts from a beauty supply store, Halloween store, or other unknown distributor that doesn’t require a contact lens prescription are not FDA approved.

How Do You Wear Halloween Contacts?

Halloween contacts are worn just like any other contact lens. If you’ve never worn contacts before, make sure to schedule a contact lens fitting with your eye doctor to ensure you’re comfortable with the insertion and removal process. Do not sleep in them or wear them more than once if they are meant for a single use.

How Long Can You Leave in Halloween Contacts?

Most cosplay contacts aren’t made from the same highly breathable material as regular contacts so they shouldn’t be worn for more than the recommended eight hours a day. Wearing them for longer than prescribed can result in pain, irritation, bacterial infections, and even vision loss.

To completely change the color of your eyes, choose opaque tinted colored contacts! A contact lens prescription is required, but they can be selected with or without vision correction. Be sure to have fun while also keeping your eye health in mind.