Joe Ayling: Fearsome approach needed on Halloween CLs

Halloween returned this week with a scary reminder that young patients are still being tricked into buying novelty contact lenses.

Unfortunately for the UK optical market, the prospect of ridding the market of illegally sold cosmetic lenses is some way off. Despite continued efforts by optical bodies, regulators and their high street foot soldiers, a simple internet or market stall search for coloured contact lenses still delivers quick results not asking fo verification. Some retailers are circumventing the law, others are just ignoring it.

It means members of the public can browse through vampire, white tiger and blood-stained contact lenses with little more regard for their safety than while buying a new Pennywise clown outfit.