Eyesight warning over ‘zero-power’ fancy dress lenses
WARNINGS have gone out against the use of novelty, coloured “zeropower” contact lenses often used for fancy dress at Christmas.
Trading Standards officials across Wales, including Swansea, are advising against using them because of the risk of eye injury.
It follows a nationwide survey of stores in Wales, coordinated by the Welsh Heads of Trading Standards, to establish where the sale of the products was taking place.
The survey also follows complaints of a serious eye injury to an individual who purchased the products at a shop in Cardiff in 2016. The complaint also led to the prosecution of two shops in Cardiff.
This year 18 Local Authorities across Wales participated in the survey and 77 stores were identified as selling zero-powered contact lenses.
The stores were notified in advance not to sell the product unless a registered medical practitioner, a registered optometrist or a registered dispensing optician was on the premises to supervise the sale.
Guidance was also provided in the form of a General Optical Council leaflet.
Seventy-one test purchases were then conducted in those stores. Four of them made sales, which were not supervised as they should have been.
In those cases, Trading Standards officers issued safety notices under the General Product (Safety) Regulations 2005 prohibiting the unsupervised sale of the product.
Rhys Harries, Swansea Council’s Trading Standards manager, said: “The damage these products can lead to, if not purchased under proper, supervised conditions, can be horrendous, with a serious risk to an individual’s eyesight.
“They are popular around Christmas and Halloween, but we believe they should be purchased only from qualified people such as a registered dispensing optician.
“We will be continuing to monitor the sale of these products in Swansea to ensure they are being done so under the proper guidelines that have been established.”
A spokesperson from Wales Heads of Trading Standards said: “In order to prevent the potential for serious injury, consumers are advised to only purchase zero-powered contact lenses from a registered medical practitioner, a registered optometrist or a registered dispensing optician (who must be on the premises to supervise the sale).
“It is encouraging that so many stores have adhered to the advice provided and kept members of the public in Wales safe from potential harm. Premises in Wales will continue to be monitored and any non-compliance could result in enforcement action being taken.” ■ If anyone has information about the illegal sale of zero-power contact lenses they can contact Swansea Trading Standards anonymously on 01792 635600.