Keep Your Eyes Safe this Halloween!

Don't let an eye infection be the scariest part of your Halloween. Using decorative lenses without a valid prescription can cause serious harm to your eyes—haunting you long after October 31. You can safely buy contact lenses from eye doctors' offices, online, or by mail order with a valid prescription.

Halloween Costume Accessories

An important part of the costume is often a handy accessory. A witch’s wand or pirate’s sword can complete the look. But these sometimes long and pointy extras can present an eye hazard, either in crowded party spaces or in dark, hard-to-see areas. Choose accessories that are short and flexible, preferably made of a soft material like foam.

Halloween Masks

For all the fun masks can bring to Halloween, they can be a safety hazard when not worn properly. Before heading out to trick or treat, make sure hoods and masks do not block vision in either eye — particularly if they will be worn at night or in dim lighting. “Even properly aligned masks can restrict peripheral vision and present a hazard for tripping on curbs or stairs,” says Casey.

When one eye is covered, loss of depth perception can increase risk of injury, so it is safer to only wear costume eyepatches when taking pictures or standing still.