European body Euromcontact is conducting a research project on the potential eye health risks of plano cosmetic contact lenses by testing them against EU standards for product safety.
The European federation of national associations and international manufacturers of contact lenses and care products is encouraging practitioners to buy plano lenses (and the solution supplied with the lenses) from unfamiliar manufacturers and unregulated suppliers and send them for assessment. This is part of its initiative to have the lenses included as medical devices under the EC Medical Devices Directive. The results will be presented to the European Commission in advance of the review of the Medical Devices Directive.
'Some non-optical high-street outlets and internet only retailers in the UK are selling plano cosmetic contact lenses without supervision or fitting by an appropriately qualified professional,' said Anne-Marie Wolters, secretary general of Euromcontact. 'We would be very grateful if you could assist by buying samples of fun, coloured or decorative contact lenses from unfamiliar manufacturers that are on sale in this way in the UK and sending them to the address below.'
The solutions and contact lenses will be analysed against the essential requirements of the General Product Safety Directive. Euromcontact has asked that practitioners do not open or tamper with the packaging and include an address for the point of sale. The federation aims to refund the cost of purchasing and sending the lenses and asks that a name, address and receipt are included.
Samples should be posted to Anne-Marie Wolters, secretary general of Euromcontact at 11 Rue du Moulin d'Hollers, B-1495 Villers-la-Ville, Belgium before Friday April 8.