Ah, Halloween: A night when your kids can step into just about any costume they can imagine: A superhero, an ugly-cute Labubu monster, Moana, Shrek, Bluey, or even K-Pop Demon Hunters. Plus, they get all that free candy! What’s not to like?
You may not know it, but your dentist isn’t the only one who fears for their patients on October 31. Your optometrist does, too! Here’s why: Halloween causes an uptick of eye-related emergency room visits resulting from costumes and masks, in addition to infections from non-prescription costume contact lenses.
As parents, you want your kids to have fun, but you also want them to be safe. Here are four tips to ensure that your child still has fun while practicing good eye safety.
- Make Seeing Clearly A Top Priority
That adorable mask may be the perfect finishing touch to their costume, but test it out to make sure your child can see while they’re wearing it.
Some masks block peripheral vision or make it difficult to see directly in front of you. Neither is acceptable when kids are walking outside after dark and must be able to see curbs, steps, cars, and other trick-or-treaters.
The week before Halloween, stage a dress-rehearsal. Put your child in their full costume and have them practice walking around in it. Can they see well out of both sides, and straight ahead? If the mask hampers their vision, you’ll still have time to modify it or choose another. A hat or face paint might even be a good substitute.
- Take Care Applying Halloween Makeup
Halloween makeup can be fun and festive, but when you’re using cosmetic products near the eyes, be especially careful.
Since you’ve already staged a dress rehearsal, you already tested the makeup, right? If not, test it on a small area of skin to make sure it doesn’t itch or irritate.
A word on glitter: It may be impossible to use glittery eye makeup without some getting into the eyes, and even a tiny amount can cause a huge irritation. Be especially cautious or, as we recommend, avoid it altogether.
And don’t forget to remind your kids not to touch or rub their eyes after you apply their makeup. Rubbing just helps the glitter get to where we don’t want it to go.
- Choose Soft Props
Magic wands! Swords! Devil’s pitchforks! All of them are perfect for poking an eye. Especially when your kids are running to catch up with friends or staging a mock battle with their costumed arch enemy.
If your child’s costume of choice demands a pointed or rigid accessory, try to find one that is soft and flexible.
Also think about the accessories that will be worn on or near their face. Rule out anything with a sharp edge or protruding piece that could poke into their eye.
- Avoid Spooky Contact Lenses
For parents of teens and college kids who are dressing up for a party, this one is for you.
Yes, decorative contact lenses can completely transform you in a Halloween costume. Zombie, cat, and vampire eyes are dramatic and may seem like harmless fun, particularly when you only wear them for one night.
But decorative contacts are medical devices, even if they don’t correct your vision. In the United States, contact lenses of every sort require a prescription. Your optometrist needs to evaluate your eyes and make sure the lenses fit properly.
Cheap, mass-produced costume contacts can have edges that cut into the surface (cornea) of your eye, potentially causing a corneal abrasion which is both incredibly painful and can lead to an infection or corneal ulcer.
More than half of participants — 61% — experienced complications with cosmetic lenses in one study. And in that same study, 88% of people who borrowed costume contacts from another person had complications ranging from eye pain and discomfort to swollen, red eyes and infections. Serious complications can permanently affect vision.
Our request: Please don’t buy Halloween contacts from a costume shop, beauty supply store, or website that doesn’t require a prescription. It’s just not worth the risk!
And after Halloween, if you find out that your teen disobeyed and risked wearing spooky contacts, and they experience symptoms such as swelling, redness, pain, discharge, or decreased vision — call our offices.
Now that you know how to protect your child’s eye safety this spooky season, we hope you go out and have a safe and Happy Halloween!