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Senate passes plano contact lens bill
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WASHINGTON — Last week the Senate passed a bill classifying all contact lenses as medical devices, according to a press release from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. A companion House bill is scheduled for consideration when Congress reconvenes in September.
Similar legislation was introduced in the House in the last Congress and passed unanimously, but the bill never reached the Senate floor for consideration, the AAO said.
The AAO began its efforts to regulate cosmetic lenses following several reports of teenagers who developed serious eye problems after using non-prescription cosmetic lenses purchased from flea markets or other unauthorized vendors, the press release noted. Of 17 documented cases, one patient needed a corneal transplant, one remains legally blind and three developed blinding complications requiring hospitalization, the AAO said.
The Food and Drug Administration worked with customs officials to bar the entry into the country of decorative contact lenses intended for distribution directly to the wearer without the involvement of an eye care professional, the AAO said in the release.
“We’re very pleased that the Senate gave this issue the attention it deserves and passed the bill,” said Catherine G. Cohen, the AAO’s vice president for governmental affairs. “We are very optimistic that the House will take prompt action as soon as the August recess ends and send the legislation on its way to the president for his signature.”