The Ministy of Health in New Zealand is investigating tightening regulations around the sale of novelty contact lenses after a 24-year-old man lost his vision in one eye following an infection.
What is described as the country's first case of blindness as a result of wearing fashion lenses has prompted a call from eye specialists to make it mandatory for care instructions to be given out with each sale, according to The New Zealand Herald, January 23.
The man had borrowed a pair of lenses from a friend and in ignorance wore them for three days, damaging his cornea.
The BCLA recently met with GOC registrar Peter Coe to discuss the GOC's interpretation of the law on contact lens supply. The BCLA maintained its position that the new regulations are unsatisfactory in that plano and powered lenses are not treated the same and it seems that there is no requirement for providing a specification for plano lenses. The BCLA also continued to express its concern on the issue of brand substitution.