Theatrical contacts for Halloween – a Trick AND a Treat!

It’s that time of the year when the stores are full of Halloween costumes and soon full of bite size chocolates, too which is trouble for me!
There is no better way, in my opinion, to up the freak factor of your costume than wearing a pair of theatrical contact lenses. The popular one last year was the kind that made you look like the Black Swan though my favorite is always the ‘white outs’ that make your eyes look like there are no irises – just a tiny dot for your pupil. Creepy. Let’s see what this year brings…

If you’re interested in getting a pair this year, the time is now to come in for an eye exam and a fitting. Though you only wear them for fun (or not) and may not need vision correction, you still need to have a prescription for them. All contacts are considered medical devices by the FDA and need to be properly fit to avoid injury to the eye.

Theatrical contacts have opaque images that hide your natural eye color giving you a clear center to see through. This can lead to vision obscuration if the lens does not center properly. They are also made of materials that are not today’s higher standards of breathability because those materials can not be colored. For this reason, never sleep in your costume contacts, no matter how fun your party was.

There are many internet sites that will sell you a pair of contacts. Make sure they ask for a prescription and work with your eye doctor to find the best look and fit for your eyes. Never order from anyone that does not ask for a prescription. The last thing you want for Halloween is a corneal ulcer. That’s definitely no treat.