'Circle lenses' threaten eye health, doctors say
Unsupervised use can affect corneas, eye oxygen levels
By Anne Stein, Special to Tribune Newspapers
Fans who want to imitate the freakishly big eyes sported by Lady Gaga in her music video "Bad Romance" can visit dozens of Web sites to order "circle lenses," and U.S. eye doctors aren't happy about that.
Often sold as one-size-fits-all, with no exam or prescription required, circle lenses are contacts with a tinted outer ring overlapping the white of the eye, making the iris, or colored part of the eye, appear bigger. They come in a variety of colors and usually cost $20 to $30 a pair.
Trendy with teen girls and women in their 20s, the lenses are also popular in Asia with those wanting to imitate the round, oversize eyes of Japanese anime characters.
Now they're hitting American shores, where over-the-counter sales of nonprescription cosmetic contact lenses are illegal.
Health concerns
"There are bound to be complications from the way they're being dispensed," says Dr. James J. Salz, clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Southern California and spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
"Kids are going online and buying them like they're an earring or a nose ring. They're not being fit, and all eyes aren't the same shape; some have steeper curves of the cornea, and some eyes are larger or smaller."
The issue is that improperly fitting contacts can cause short- or long-term eye damage, ranging from allergic reactions to corneal ulcers or corneal scarring. "If they're not fit properly, they can induce sight-threatening complications, such as abnormal blood vessel growth in the cornea," explains Dr. Melanie Pickett, assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology at Indiana University's School of Medicine.
Problems are typically caused by the lens fitting too tightly, which can decrease the amount of oxygen that reaches the eye. If untreated, "the blood vessels can grow through the line of sight, causing permanent vision impairment," Pickett says.
What retailers say
Circle lens retailers argue otherwise. "In general, circle lenses do not need to be fitted by an eye doctor/optometrist as long as the customer (has obtained) their official prescription information from the eye doctor/optometrist during their recent eye check," says a spokesperson for AsianFashionCity.com, which sells circle lenses.
"With this recent official prescription information, they can use it to make a safe purchase at reputable online circle lens shops selling genuine brand circle lens, which are approved by at least one trusted health authority/ministry," the spokesperson said.
Bottom line
The reality is most sites don't require a prescription or offer a wide range of contact lens curvature sizes. In addition, online buyers aren't being instructed on care and use of lenses, increasing the chances of misuse and eye damage.
"Complications can happen quickly or over time, and the patient may not even know until the problem's occurred," Pickett says.
