It is not a strange sight to see. In fact, it is becoming a trend for teens and young adults to have “wild eyes,” also known as decorative contact lenses. These contact lenses come in many styles – from cat eyes, sports team logos, and aliens, to what appears to be a spider in the middle of the eye. You probably saw quite a few of these at Halloween.

While it is true that there have been numerous cases of individuals contracting serious eye infections after having worn decorative contact lenses, the lenses themselves are not the cause. In most cases, the problems have been caused by poor hygiene, improper lens care and sharing lenses with friends. Decorative contacts have to be treated with the same level of care as regular contact lenses:

1. NEVER share lenses with anyone else. This allows microscopic organisms to transfer between the wearers and serious eye problems can result.

2. Never buy your color contacts from flea markets or beauty salons. The lenses you obtain from these places are of questionable quality and can be made from materials that are dangerous to your eyes. According to the FDA, contact lenses are medical devices and can only be sold by an optometrist or licensed contact lens retailer.

3. If you have 20/20 vision and want to wear color contacts just for fun, visiting a doctor is highly advisable. Most colored lenses offer two or more options for a base curve, a parameter that needs to be established by a doctor to ensure a proper fit.