Twilight fans should think twice before sporting Cullen-worthy contacts

November 19, 2009

Any Twilight fan could easily tell you how to tell a good vampire from a dangerous one - just look into their eyes. In the popular movies, based on the books by Stephanie Meyer, vegetarian vampires like Edward Cullen have golden eyes, while their more violent counter parts(one word) have creepy red irises.

So how did the filmmakers transfer that idea onto the big screen? Contact lenses, of course, according to makeup411.com. But any Twi-hards who are considering sporting the colored lenses to tonight's midnight premiere of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" should proceed with caution, experts warn.

Allaboutvision.com reports that all contact lenses, even those worn for purely cosmetic reasons, cannot be obtained without a prescription. The American Optometric Association (AOA) also warns that cosmetic lenses, sometimes referred to as plano lenses, can cause permanent damage to your eye health.

"Decorative lenses, like their vision-correcting counterparts, require precise fitting and careful follow-up care." said Art Epstein, O.D., former chairman of the AOA Contact Lens and Cornea Section. "Consumers purchasing these lenses from untrained individuals may receive poorly fitted or 'demo' lenses and little to no instruction in proper lens care and cleaning."

If colored contacts are a must, make sure to be properly fitted by an eye care professional.