From Diwali get-togethers and wedding functions to Christmas and New Year parties, coloured lenses are set to complete many a festive look. But a lens that looks flawless in photographs can still harm your eyes if it isn’t right for them. The cornea, the clear front surface of the eye, has no blood vessels and heals slowly, so even a minor scratch can turn into a serious infection. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Ganesh Pillay, chief academic and research, regional COO, ASG Hospital Limited, shared a guide to finding the right coloured lenses.
Read the pack before you pay
If a lens is sold loose, unlabelled or with no traceable source, walk away, however attractive the colour or the price.
“A safe lens comes in sealed, branded packaging showing the manufacturer’s details, batch number, expiry date and lens parameters,” highlighted Dr Pillay.
Dr Pillay recommends buying from a licensed optician, an eye hospital’s optical store or a certified online seller that asks for your lens details. Avoid street stalls, festival pop-ups, salons, social media sellers and unverified marketplace listings. Unregulated decorative lenses lead to a higher risk of microbial keratitis , particularly among young, first-time wearers who buy without professional guidance.
