Cheap Contact Lenses, Costly Consequences

I shop online and I like to be a conscious consumer, too. Occasionally, I come across a deal that seems too good to be true. Depending on what it is, I might even take my chances.What I won’t take my chances with are things that might compromise my health or safety. Medications and medical devices (including contact lenses) fall into the category of “better be safe than sorry” for me.

Counterfeit Contact Lenses

Last month the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took down a major online contact lens business.They plead guilty to selling counterfeit and unauthorized contact lenses. They deceived their customers by labeling the contact lenses as a well-known brand. Some of their contact lenses even tested positive for bacterial contamination.

Contact Lenses are Medical Devices

This might seem like a buzz kill for those looking for cheap contacts lenses. It’s not meant to be. The FDA regulates products, like medical devices, to protect us. Contact lenses are medical devices, ones that we wear on our eyes so we may see. This tiny piece of plastic covers our cornea so that we can read our cell phone, drive our car, watch TV, and maybe scroll through Facebook before bed. Don’t we owe it to our corneas to make sure that contact lens is actually safe to wear?

Make sure to protect your eyes when purchasing contact lenses. Blink Eyecare backs all of its contact lenses. All contacts lenses purchased in our office are guaranteed to be what the label on the box says. The manufacturers of our contact lenses adhere to strict FDA guidelines for the safety of your vision. If you don’t purchase your contact lenses from Blink Eyecare, make sure you are buying from a reputable source (FYI: gas stations don’t count).

Next month, look for tips on keeping your eyes healthy while wearing contacts.