Optometrists Warn Consumers of Illegal Sales of Contact Lenses

With the arrival of the summer season, there is little doubt vendors will again be out in force, trying to take advantage of unsuspecting teens by selling them illegal colored contact lenses.

Illegal sales of cosmetic, colored lenses are problematic year-round, but particularly during the summer months, when boardwalk, street and flea market vendors, hair and tanning salons target young people. Of particular concern is that the lenses are sold illegally to teen-agers, who often receive little or no instruction on how to use them properly. As a result, young people develop dangerous eye infections, and in some cases, suffer irreversible damage to their eyesight.

Federal law forbids anyone other than an optometric physician or other licensed eye care professional from selling contact lenses without a patient prescription. Unfortunately, every year unwitting young consumers develop painful, debilitating eye conditions after wearing nonprescriptive cosmetic lenses.