Colored Contact Lenses on Amazon

Colored contact lenses (also referred to as decorative or cosmetic contact lenses) can transform a basic Halloween costume into a frightening one. But there’s a real-life horror story that can come with wearing these products.

According to the FDA, which regulates contact lenses as medical devices, wearing any kind of contact lenses, including colored ones, can cause serious damage to the eyes if the lenses are obtained without a prescription or not used correctly. These risks can range from scratches or cuts on the cornea (the outer layer of the eye) to allergic reactions to infection and blindness.

That’s why the agency requires that all contact lenses be prescribed by a doctor and states that anyone who sells contact lenses without a valid prescription is violating the law.

But that hasn’t stopped numerous online sellers of non-prescription contact lenses, including those on Amazon.

Not even Amazon’s own stated policy prohibiting the sale of “corrective or cosmetic contact lenses” requiring a prescription has stopped colored contact lens sellers from getting their products listed on the site.

Perhaps to avoid detection, many Amazon sellers of colored contacts label their prohibited products as “storage kits” or “cases.” For example, here are some of the products that show up when searching for “colored contact lenses” on Amazon:

However, product information, images and videos on the Amazon listings themselves reveal that these sellers are actually offering non-prescription colored contacts in violation of federal law and Amazon policy.

Amazon has been called out for allowing the sale of non-prescription colored contacts before.

In 2019, the e-commerce giant removed a number of listings for colored contacts from its site after receiving a letter from the American Optometric Association that warned the products were being sold without a prescription and without proper instructions for use.

And last year, the FTC reminded Amazon of its role in holding third-party sellers accountable when they make false or misleading claims in violation of the law and the platform’s own rules.

Amazon did not respond to a request for comment.

Following TINA.org’s inquiry to Amazon, the three listings above were taken down. But there are many more just like them selling non-prescription contact lenses in violation of both Amazon seller policy and federal law.

The bottom line

If you are thinking about buying colored contacts to add a scare factor to your Halloween costume this year, know the risks. As the FDA puts it:

Even though there are a lot of products that you can buy without a prescription, contact lenses are not one of them.

Find more of our coverage on Halloween.