View from the BCLA: Contact lens warnings

The ghoulish goings-on of Halloween are over for another year. With every passing year the festivities seem to get bigger, brasher and bolder but one thing remains constant – plano special effect contact lenses are a trick, not a treat.

We, along with other professional bodies, have issued repeated warnings over the potential dangers of wearing these accessories. We have highlighted the harm they can potentially cause without getting the necessary professional advice and we have raised awareness among our members to educate the public.

So, to tune in to Strictly Come Dancing last weekend and see celebrities, dancers and judges wearing these lenses as part of their costumes was, at best, disappointing and, at worst, downright irresponsible.