Eye Safety Month

Whether you’re taking your little ones trick-or-treating or heading to a Halloween party, the fun of Halloween often begins with picking out a costume. But don’t let your scariest costume turn into a real nightmare for your eyes.

Did you know that Halloween costumes and masks lead to hundreds of eye injuries each year? Thankfully, there are simple ways you can decrease your risk of a Halloween eye injury.

Follow these five simple Halloween eye safety tips to avoid common Halloween snafus that could result in unexpected eye injuries.

1. Don’t Block Your Vision

When creating the perfect Halloween costume, you may be tempted to wear a mask or wig that blocks the face. But always make sure that your costume doesn’t cover your eyes or impair your vision. When wearing masks, wigs, or accessories, make sure your eyes are clear.

And if you or your child typically wears glasses to see well, don’t ditch them for fashion’s sake. With all the traffic and hubbub of trick-or-treating, it’s essential to see clearly.

The risk of pedestrian fatalities is 43% higher on October 31st compared to other evenings of the year. Keep yourself and your children safe by making sure your vision is clear and you look both ways before crossing the street.

2. Be Safe with Decorative Contact Lenses

If you like to go all out with your costume, decorative contact lenses may seem like an easy way to take your costume to the next level.

Cosmetic or decorative contact lenses are colored or alter the appearance of your eyes in some way. While wearing them may seem harmless, doing so without a prescription from your eye doctor can result in permanent blindness.

Cosmetic contact lenses come with serious risks, including:

• • Cornea scratch
  • Allergic reaction
  • Vision changes
  • Eye infection
  • Blindness

To mitigate these risks and keep your eyes safe, follow these guidelines before buying or using cosmetic contact lenses:

• • Get an eye exam: visit your eye doctor for an eye exam, and make sure to get a prescription for cosmetic contacts.
  • Get a prescription: never buy decorative contacts without a prescription from your eye doctor. It’s illegal to sell contact lenses in the U.S. without a prescription, and buying contacts without one is dangerous.
  • Only get FDA-approved lenses: all contact lenses, including cosmetic ones, are medical devices regulated by the FDA. Make sure any cosmetic contacts you wear are approved by the FDA.
  • Perform proper lens care: just like with any other contact lenses, make sure to perform proper hygiene and cleaning protocols.
  • Don’t share contacts: this should go without saying, but never share contact lenses with anyone else or use someone else’s prescription to buy decorative contacts.
  • Stop wearing if irritation occurs: If your eyes get red, watery, or painful, remove the contacts right away and see your eye doctor to check for an infection.

3. Take Care with Eye Makeup

If your Halloween costume includes any type of eye or face makeup, take care around your eyes. Make sure eye makeup is hypoallergenic and doesn’t have loose particles or glitter that could fall into your eye and scratch the surface of the eye.

To help prevent an eye infection, remember to remove all eye makeup before bed, never share makeup, and replace your makeup every three months.

4. Avoid Sharp Props

Many Halloween costumes include fun props, such as swords, wands, bows and arrows, light sabers, and more. While these props can be fun, if not handled carefully, sharp or pointy objects can cause eye injuries, and it’s not worth the risk.

Make sure to point any props away from the face and never use sharp props that could accidentally poke or scratch your eye or the eye of someone nearby.

5. See and Be Seen

In addition to being able to see your best, it’s just as important to stay seen while trick-or-treating. Bring a flashlight along to help you see where you are going and see any traffic nearby.

Just as important, make sure to stay visible to cars. If possible, wear bright or reflective clothing. Glow sticks can also make a fun costume accessory that helps you and your kids stay visible at night.

Keep Yourself and Your Eyes Safe

While Halloween can be a fun and festive time, taking these simple precautions can help you and your family avoid injuries.

If you need a prescription for costume contact lenses, or you’ve experienced an eye injury, make sure to schedule an appointment with your eye doctor.