Eyecare tips to stop your Halloween and Bonfire night from turning into a nightmare!

What you need to know

Halloween and Bonfire night are supposed to be occasions that are fun for all of the family. With both nights fast approaching we want to make you aware of the damage that these nights can cause to your eyes if you don't take the right precautions and more importantly the measures, you can take to reduce that risk. We will also provide you with some resources to look at so you can be as prepared and aware as possible. Let's make sure that Halloween doesn't turn into a nightmare!

What dangers does Halloween present to my eyes?

It is not uncommon for teenagers and adults to finish off their excellent Halloween costumes with some coloured contacts or scary lenses. Don't forget contact lenses are legally classified as medical devices. They can cause serious damage to your eyes if they are produced poorly or used incorrectly. Many Halloween contact lenses are unregulated and illegal, this means that they are not up to the proper standard! If you must use Halloween contact lenses as an addition to your costume then consider getting them fitted by an eye care professional not from tips and products found on the internet. Eyecare professionals will know the risks and will be able to advise how to care for the contacts and keep your eyes safe.

Poor quality contact lenses can cause serious eye-health complications to the wearer. They can cause dry eye in minor cases, corneal ulcers or abrasions, eye infections, and even blindness in severe situations. The Halloween novelty lenses are often available in fancy-dress shops and can be purchased on the internet but these suppliers are often unregulated. If you are going to buy them then please make sure the sight is regulated or has the approval of an eye care professional. If you put some lenses in and sense any issues such as sore eyes, dry eyes, redness or itching then take them out immediately and seek advice from an eye care professional, don't ignore it!

Fireworks and eye safety on Bonfire night

Every year 10 people in the UK lose their sight and 300 people suffer serious eye injuries as a result of accidents caused by fireworks. This is taken from The Eyecare Trusts article that is linked below. They advise following the SPARKLER code for fun and injury-free Bonfire night:

• Shield your eyes with protective eyewear when lighting fireworks
• Plunge sparklers into a bucket of cold water as soon as they have burnt out
• Attend organised displays wherever possible
• Read the instructions on the fireworks with a torch and follow them carefully (ensure your fireworks comply with the British Safety Standard (BS 7114)
• Keep all fireworks in a closed metal box and only light one at a time
• Leave fireworks that fail to go off – never return to a lit firework
• Ensure everyone stands a safe distance away – AT LEAST 25 meters from Category 3 fireworks
• Remove all debris and flammable objects (including plants and trees) from your firework display area

For their full article please follow the button down below, they are the professionals!

Ways to contact us and further resources:

Click here for "Eight tips for safe spooky contact lenses this Halloween" from the Association of Optometrists
Here you can find The Eyecare Trust's "Firework Eye Safety Alert"

If you would like some information about the services we provide such as recruitment and marketing services please see below.

For example, you can call us today for a confidential chat on 0800 085 0858, alternatively, you can email us at [email protected]. Also, you can also click here to visit our recruitment home page or here for our marketing services page. You can also take a look at all our previous blog posts here!

Additionally, you can connect with us on our social media channels. You can click here to like our Facebook page and click here to follow us on Twitter.

Click here for "Eight tips for safe spooky contact lenses this Halloween" from the Association of Optometrists
Here you can find The Eyecare Trust's "Firework Eye Safety Alert"

[caption id="attachment_47840" align="alignnone" width="800"] Eye care advice for the Autumn Holidays[/caption]