In her recent music video, “Bad Romance,” pop star Lady Gaga’s appearance is more arresting than usual thanks to a bit of computer magic: Her eyes were digitally altered to appear bigger.
Not surprising, the doe-eyed look she has in the video has inspired a fad among many teenage girls and young women: wearing special color contacts that mimic the anime-style look. These so-called “circle” contacts have a darkly tinted zone that makes the wearer’s pupil look much larger than normal.
The problem is that circle contact lenses are being sold illegally via the Internet without a contact lens prescription, which eye doctors say could cause serious eye problems ranging from minor eye discomfort to serious eye infections, including potentially blinding infections such as Acanthamoeba keratitis. This especially is true when contact lenses are not properly cleaned and disinfected after each use and/or are shared among friends.
Today, the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) and American Optometric Association (AOA) issued a joint statement titled, “Concern Regarding Cosmetic ‘Circle’ Contact Lenses.”
In the document, the organizations point out that all contact lenses, whether they correct vision or are used simply for cosmetic purposes, are classified as medical devices by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and cannot be obtained legally in the United States without a prescription, which requires a contact lens fitting by a licensed eye care practitioner.
The joint statement also says studies show individuals who purchase contact lenses via the Internet or mail order have a four times greater risk of eye infections than those who purchase their lenses from an eye care professional.
The AAO and AOA also warn of the dangers of sharing or swapping contact lenses with friends and advise consumers desiring cosmetic contact lenses to alter or enhance their appearance to do so only after consultation with their eye care provider.
The AAO/AOA joint statement follows a similar warning about circle contacts issued earlier this month by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
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