Counterfeit Medicines and Contact Lenses Pose a Risk to Your Eyes

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Just remember, If you think you want to enhance the look of your eyes by wearing contact lenses or using medication to lengthen your lashes, it is important to seek medical help first by contacting your ophthalmologist

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) August 11, 2011

Counterfeit medicines and contact lenses are ubiquitous. The advent of beauty enhancing drugs, like the eyelash growth eyedrop, and medical devices, the colored contact lenses, or circle lenses that give an anime look popularized by Lady Gaga, has created a demand for such products. The cost of the doctor visits to obtain legal prescriptions, along with the skyrocketing price of the medications and devices has left many people searching the internet for bargains. People are feeling compelled to resort to what they think is safe. They do not always do their due diligence in examining the source of the medication and/or device.

Dr. Sandy T. Feldman of ClearView Eye & Laser Medical Center knows it is critical to use healthy skepticism and safe habits when buying medicines and contact lenses. “Proper sources of medications and contact lenses are very important to preventing serious eye infections and injury,” says Dr. Feldman. “Medications may not contain active ingredients or may even have toxic agents. Contact lenses may not be properly sterilized or may not fit your eyes which lead to scratches of the cornea, infections, and rarely, blindness.”

Here are some important tips that all consumers should be aware of about medicines and contact lenses from the doctor.

    1. Obtain a valid prescription for your medication or contact lenses from your eyecare provider. Have the doctor examine the fit of your lenses, teach you proper techniques for insertion and removal and also, wearing parameters. Do not try to save money by wearing your lenses longer than advised.

    2. Buy contact lenses from reputable sources. Try to buy from a store or even a discount chain in the U.S. Always look for the expiration date.

    3. If you buy medications or contact lenses over the internet, make sure that the source is located in the U.S. If a physical address is missing, there is a greater than 50% chance that medicines may be counterfeit. Try calling the provider to determine the return policy.

    4. Do not buy medications or contact lenses in beauty supply stores. Ask questions, what is the active ingredient in the product you are trying to sell me?

    5. Contact lenses are classified as medical devices by the FDA and must be tested extensively to determine their safety. Do not buy fashionable lenses from foreign sources, such as circle lenses, which have not yet undergone this rigor.

“Just remember, If you think you want to enhance the look of your eyes by wearing contact lenses or using medication to lengthen your lashes, it is important to seek medical help first by contacting your ophthalmologist” said Feldman.

As a leader in the field of ophthalmology, Dr. Feldman has participated in FDA clinical studies of custom LASIK. Currently, she is involved in studies of a new treatment to halt the progression of Keratoconus, a disease in which the fitting of contact lenses can become challenging. In 2009, she was one of ten laser eye care providers in the U.S. to receive the Goldline Award as seen in Forbes Magazine. In 2010, she was awarded the Silver Elite RealSelf award, and in 2011, she was awarded Top Doc San Diego and inducted into the prestigious American College of Ophthalmic Surgeons. Dr. Feldman is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

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