Joe Ayling: Let’s avoid contact lenses you can eat

Growing popularity of daily disposable contact lenses means their sustainability is a topic that can no longer be kicked into the long green grass.

News of so many lenses being flushed down the drain perhaps comes as little surprise but should raise alarm bells for manufacturers and retailers alike.

With no immediate prospect of a biodegradable contact lens coming to market, the idea that optics is contributing to the flow of microplastics into the food chain is a difficult one to digest in a few different ways.

Calls have followed for more responsible packaging, encouraging patients to dispose of contact lenses with other solid waste. This follows a similar trend that led to the introduction of ‘No Water’ stickers a few years ago, following media attention.