Halloween is our favorite holiday here at Vistar Eye Center. We usually dress up for Halloween and decorate our offices—it’s a tradition that has been going on as long as Vistar Eye Center has been in practice. But one thing we don’t love is the spooky season typically results in an increased occurrence of eye injuries. That’s because, between people wearing decorative or costume contact lenses or getting face makeup in their eyes, your eyes are at a greater risk than usual.

Here are some helpful tips for keeping your eyes safe on this all-hallows eve!

Ditch Non-Prescription Colored Contacts

Those colorful contacts from your local Halloween store might tempt you, but buyer beware. Wearing non-prescription contact lenses can have serious, eye-damaging consequences. Even if just for an hour or two, improper use of cosmetic contact lenses can result in serious eye conditions, including conjunctivitis (pink eye), corneal scratches, bacterial infections, eye pain, and even vision loss.

If you want to change your eye color, FDA-approved colored contact lenses are available.

Apply Makeup Carefully

Be sure to avoid the eye area and use only hypo-allergenic options while applying makeup. If you decide to apply makeup to your entire face, take extra caution when working on the area around your eye. Some other tips include:

  1. Use hypoallergenic paint that can be applied to your skin, not acrylic or other paint found around the home.
  2. Use caution while applying makeup around the eye, sharp objects are no joke.
  3. Stear clear of your tear ducts and parts of your eyelid that are close to the mucus membrane.
  4. Wash off your makeup as soon as you’re finished with the party or trick-or-treating to prevent unnecessary irritation.

Consider Other Costume Options

This might be the perfect year to buy the Scream mask or Darth Vader helmet you’ve always wanted. The key to safety with masks, however, is to ensure it doesn’t obstruct your field of vision. If needed, make the eye holes larger to see better, especially in the dark.

Stay Away from Pointy Props

If you’ve always wanted to be Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, reconsider including a sword in your costume. You might be surprised by how many people get injured because they are carrying a pointy object and stumble in the darkness. Especially when children might get a little rambunctious, it’s usually best not to have possible eye-poking hazards to begin with.

Carry a Flashlight

Carrying a flashlight is a simple but important step to staying safe on Halloween. If you’re trick-or-treating at night, make sure you and your children have a flashlight so there aren’t any mishaps that could cause them to fall and get hurt. If you have younger children, try trick-or-treating at dusk so that they can see more easily as they walk from house to house.

Halloween is a fun time of year, but don’t let it become a nightmare with potential injuries or mishaps. And remember that if anything does happen, the eye doctors at Vistar Eye Center are here to help!