AAO praises plano contact lens study

WASHINGTON — Twelve new case studies of severe eye injuries caused by misuse of plano decorative contact lenses have reinvigorated the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s push to have those types of lenses regulated as medical devices.

According to the AAO, the study presented data on 12 patients who obtained the plano lenses without a prescription, proper fitting or proper instructions from vendors. The study also included findings from a survey of 159 patients, of which 23% used decorative lenses. More than half of those users said they bought their lenses from vendors and did not have prescriptions.

“The latest study bears out what we already know — whether worn to correct vision or for decorative purposes, the distribution of all contact lenses needs to be regulated as a matter of public health to reduce the risk of serious eye injuries,” Thomas L. Steinemann, MD, said in the AAO press release.

Legislation was introduced in both the Senate and House this year to amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to provide that all contact lenses shall be deemed to be medical devices. The bill passed in the Senate in late July, and the House companion bill is still being considered.

The new case studies are published in Eye & Contact Lens: Science and Clinical Practice.