pleasehelpmecosplay:

Saw the recent post about Alice & Rabbit’s shop and I wanted to put this info out there as a reminder to cosplayers who may be new to contact lenses.

Contact lenses are a huge commitment, one which you need to take very seriously if this is a route you choose to take with your costuming. First off, no matter where you are buying from you NEED to go to an eye doctor first to get fitted for contact lenses! No matter what any vendor or website says, contact lenses are not one-size-fits-all, and moreover some few people actually are not able to wear lenses without damaging their eyes. You need to know what your Base Curve is in order to purchase lenses that will fit you. You wouldn’t wear a size 7 shoe if you’re really an 8, and if you tried you’d get blisters. It’s the same with contact lenses. In short, a contact lens “prescription” is not just about magnification or vision correction, it should include information about size as well.

Also, legally in the United States a vendor MUST obtain a valid and to-date prescription either from the customer or through communication with the customer’s eye doctor. If someone sells you lenses without asking for a prescription the sale is NOT legal in the United States. That’s not to say you can’t buy lenses from overseas, but realize 1) that your purchase falls into a legal gray area and 2) you need to be very careful and thoroughly research the company to make sure their product is safe to use (Disclaimer: a quick look over of A&R’s shop tells me that, even if they aren’t from the US they do know what they’re talking about and their product is probably safe.)

If you do choose to buy contact lenses, make sure to take proper care of them. This is the biggest part of the commitment you’ll need to make for this costume accessory. Wash your hands every time you touch your lenses, and store them in contact lens solution, not water—water will not disinfect or remove protein deposits. If you aren’t wearing your lenses daily, make sure to clean your lenses and change the solution they’re stored in regularly, most solutions suggest 30 days (I’d suggest every two weeks). Also never reuse solution—whenever you clean your lenses store them in fresh solution.

Some miscellaneous tips:

• Throw out lenses that have expired, are torn, or have been stored improperly
• Never wear more than one lens in one eye
• Never share lenses with your friends
• Avoid falling asleep in your lenses

Any of these practices can lead to infection, which could lead to blindness. Contacts may be just a part of your costume, but because they sit on your eyes they are much much more. Technically, they are medical devices, even if used for cosmetic purposes.

If you have questions, or want to know more about cosplay safety you can follow The Cosplay Safety Project.