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AOA campaign warns sellers, buyers of costume contact lenses
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The American Optometric Association kicked off its annual “31 in 31” letter writing campaign to warn sellers and wearers about the risks of unprescribed decorative contact lenses.
The campaign combats the pervasiveness of illegal contact lens sales by calling out 31 online vendors, brick-and-mortar shops and other sellers who have been reported to the AOA as having inappropriate contact lens sales practices, which put the public’s eye and vision health at risk, according to a press release from the association.
About 26% of Americans who have worn noncorrective decorative contact lenses have purchased then without a prescription from a source other than an eye doctor, according to the AOA’s American Eye-Q survey. Illegally purchased lenses can cause bacterial infections, allergic reactions and even permanent vision loss.
It is extremely important that anyone desiring to wear contact lenses for any reason get an eye exam from an optometrist and only wear contact lenses, with or without vision correction, that have been properly fitted, AOA President Samuel D. Pierce, OD, said in the release.
The campaign also serves as a way to inform the general public about the dangers of using contact lenses without the supervision of a trained optometrist.
The AOA and the “31 in 31” campaign urges companies to reverse their policies of illegally distributing contact lenses without valid prescriptions in violation of federal law.