I have no problem with body art and decoration. If anyone wants to walk round looking like a fully-inked yakuza or with metal through their ears, nose, lips, tongue, navel, labia, scrotum, or whatever that’s wholly their own business. The current cult of contact lenses that give the wearer eyes like a Keane painting seems a tad weird, but that again isn’t my concern. I respect weird. What I don’t respect is optometrists muttering dire warnings. I have to wonder if they really fear for the sight of those who are into the fashionable effect, or are merely wanting to get their beaks wet from a fad that took them by surprise.
“Lady Gaga’s wider-than-life eyes were most likely generated by a computer, but teenagers and young women nationwide have been copying them with special contact lenses imported from Asia. Known as circle lenses, these are colored contacts — sometimes in weird shades like violet and pink — that make the eyes appear larger because they cover not just the iris, as normal lenses do, but also part of the whites. These lenses might be just another beauty fad if not for the facts that they are contraband and that eye doctors express grave concern over them. It is illegal in the United States to sell any contact lenses — corrective or cosmetic — without a prescription, and no major maker of contact lenses in the United States currently sells circle lenses. Yet the lenses are widely available online, typically for $20 to $30 a pair, both in prescription strengths and purely decorative. On message boards and in YouTube videos, young women and teenage girls have been spreading the word about where to buy them. Karen Riley, a spokeswoman for the F.D.A., was a bit surprised, too. When first contacted last month, she did not know what circle lenses were or the extent to which they had caught on. Soon after, she wrote in an e-mail message, “Consumers risk significant eye injuries — even blindness” when they buy contact lenses without a valid prescription or help from an eye professional.” (Click here for the rest)
Click here for Kim Carnes (well, what did you expect?)
Are you saying that Karen Riley is wrong with her warning--that these contacts are perfectly safe?
ReplyDeleteI probably didn't make myself clear, I think my mind was still boggling at what the young 'ums get up to these days. I did kind of get the impression, reading the whole piece, that the optometrists less worried and more pissed off that they weren't getting a piece of the action. (Like surgeons who do breast implants.) I also don't think it's the job of the medical profession to prevent people doing stuff to themselves that's fucking stupid and/or fucking dangerous. Otherwise we'd outlaw mountaineering, motorcycles, and masochism.
ReplyDeleteI see a difference between issuing legitimate warnings about possible dangers on the one hand, and absolute prohibition on the other.
ReplyDeleteThere's been numerous revelations about the materials used in the production of various items, from cat food to children's toys, coming from China recently. I would be reluctant to stick something that close to my eyes without knowing what it's been made of.
i have no problem with these lenses,they are bandage lenses-used in cases of inflammation to stop your lids sticking to your eyes or to protect your corneae-that have been printed on.wash your hands,don`t do anything daft & you`ll be fine.i agree with your comment,you`re over 18,you know the risks,do what you like,
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