Prevent Blindness has named October as Contact Lens Safety Month to promote proper use of both prescription and cosmetic lenses.
The American Optometric Association is also involved through the “31 in 31” campaign, which runs every October to combat illegal contact lens sales. Throughout the month, AOA works with optometrists to report retailers violating prescription requirements. Each day, federal regulators are alerted to online and in-person sellers that offer lenses without proper prescriptions, putting patients’ eye health at risk. By highlighting these infractions, the campaign aims to protect consumers from unsafe practices and unregulated contact lenses.
MATERIALS TO EDUCATE YOUR PATIENTS
The Prevent Blindness initiative provides educational materials, including fact sheets and videos. As part of the campaign, the organization offers an episode of its “Focus on Eye Health Expert Series,” featuring discussions on the risks of lens misuse.
Prevent Blindness stresses the importance of consulting an eye doctor before using any lenses to prevent infections or other serious eye issues, including potential vision loss. Around 45 million Americans wear contact lenses, according to the FDA. While they can be a safe option for vision correction when used properly, many don’t realize that contact lenses are prescription medical devices. Selling them without a prescription violates FDA and Federal Trade Commission regulations.
“For many people, contact lenses can be a great alternative for eyeglasses,” says Jeff Todd, Prevent Blindness president and CEO. “By diligently following the guidance of an eye care professional, contact lens users can maintain healthy eyes and clear vision today and for years to come.”
Renee Reeder, OD, chair of the AOA’s Contact Lens & Cornea Section, says, “If we have an illegal lens that isn’t sterile or not manufactured properly, it could be as minor as an uncomfortable fit but as severe as an infection, so we really do need to catch these incidents early. The more and more these companies get away with it, the more chance there is for someone to get hurt, so keep reporting potential violations.”
Last year, H.R. 2748, the Contact Lens Prescription Modernization Act, was introduced—an effort to close a potential loophole on automated robocalls for contact lens prescription verifications. And this spring, a companion bill, named the Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act (S. 4083), was introduced into the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support and jointly backed by the AOA and Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety.
WHAT CAN ECPs DO?
According to the AOA, eye care practitioners should report all violations of the FCLCA, including instances in which contact lens sellers fail to comply with the prescription verification provisions of the law. This includes reporting websites that illegally sell contact lenses, reporting adverse events related to contact lenses, reporting problems with decorative contact lenses and reporting suspected violations to the AOA.
Those with direct questions for the AOA can email stopillegalcls@aoa.org.
Inform your patients of the risks associated with contact lenses and how to be safe with the AOA’s education resources.
To access their materials and learn more about protecting your eyes, visit their Contact Lens Safety Month 2024 page.
