Contact Lens Safety Month - Before you get spooky lenses for Halloween, make sure you have a prescription.

Contact Lens Safety Month 2024 – October 2024

Contact Lens Safety Month was declared to be observed every October by a non-profit eye health association known as Prevent Blindness. The association seeks to reduce preventable blindness, by educating lens wearers on the proper ways they can use and care for their lenses.

History of Contact Lens Safety Month

Contact lenses were designed to make eyecare neater and more convenient, but this invention has been misused and its misuse causes a series of eye complications, ranging from mild (itching and redness) to severe (permanent visual impairment and even blindness). Each time a foreign object or material is placed in the eye, the possibility of a complication increases greatly.To fully maximize the advantages of the contact lens, lens wearers need to be careful. Contact lenses provide comfortability and ease in style and other activities like sports and swimming. They generally improve the quality of life without placing undue restrictions on the wearer. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Association, about 45 million Americans wear contact lenses.Contact Lens Safety Month is observed to further educate wearers on the complications that may arise if the application, usage, care, and removal of lenses are not done carefully and or properly.

Contact Lens Safety Month timeline

1508
Leonardo da Vinci Invented Them

Unbeknownst to Da Vinci, his theory on how the human eye adjusts focus on a distant object will be used for correctional eyewear.

1888
The First Focal Lenses

Fabricated lenses that do not cover the whole eye are designed to be used a couple of hours per day.

1949
Acknowledged by the Presidency

President Lyndon B. Johnson becomes the first president to publicly wear contact lenses.

1959
Breakthrough in Comfortability

Soft and oxygen-permeable lenses are developed by Czech chemists Wichterle and Drahoslav.

Contact Lens Safety Month FAQs

How long do contact lenses last?

The expiration of contact lenses depends on usage and purpose. Disposable lenses last for about a day to a month, while prescribed hard lenses can last for a year to two years. All expired lenses should be disposed of properly.

Can I sleep with my contact lenses in?

With some types of contact lenses, you are advised not to sleep with them in. If you accidentally sleep with such lenses in, do not forcefully remove them, but apply a contact lens solution and use a contact lens picker to remove them. See a doctor if you experience any eye discharge, itching, or redness.

Are contact lenses better than glasses?

Contact lenses provide a clearer view as they are closer to the eye and do not include the hassle of having an object on the face, while glasses are easier to wear and remove. Both options are great depending on your lifestyle, budget, and frequency of usage. It is not a bad idea to have both and alternate based on the occasion or usage type.

How to Observe Contact Lens Safety Month

  1. Create awareness on social media

    Most consumers of lenses claim they were not educated on the proper usage of eyewear, while healthcare practitioners attest that they educate every individual that comes in for a prescription. It is safe to say that a number of consumers were not paying attention, and what better way to get their attention than through social media?

  2. Put up posters

    Order posters from the Centre for Disease Control and prevention that highlight the implications of improper lens wear and usage and paste them up in an eye clinic, hospital, or on a library board.

  3. Contribute to any causes for eye care

    You can make a one-time or monthly donation to any of the accredited eye health organizations. These organizations have transparency and share periodic reports of their finances and how they were disbursed.

5 Facts About Contact Lenses All Wearers Should Know

  1. Better vision

    Contact lens is a medical device designed to correct common eye problems.

  2. They were not always comfortable

    Contact lenses in their early days were not as comfortable as present-day lenses.

  3. They can be used in surgeries

    Anesthetic drugs can now be administered using contact lenses by having the lens release them.

  4. Used for innovative acting

    Most decorative lenses are used for entertainment and leisure purposes only.

  5. Mostly used by women

    Contact lenses are used more by women due to lifestyle and personal preferences.

Why we love Contact Lens Safety Month

  1. It raises awareness amongst the general public.

    Not many lens users know the basic guidelines of contact lens care. Similarly, the usage of contact lenses for beautification is miscommunicating the actual purpose of contact lenses. Contact lenses are not over-the-counter products and should not be used as such.

  2. It educates consumers on the functionality of lenses

    Most corrective eyewear users are skeptical about trying contact lenses because of the perceived discomfort and bothersome routine that comes with them. This month seeks to educate us on the alternative to eyeglasses and the stereotypes that are false and also true to a certain extent.

  3. It connects a community

    Contact Lens Safety Month connects physicians, researchers, contact-lens users, and corrective eyeglass wearers. A stronghold of information is developed when these people communicate their experiences, research, questions as well as answers.

Contact Lens Safety Month dates

Year Date Day
2023 October 1 Sunday
2024 October 1 Tuesday
2025 October 1 Wednesday
2026 October 1 Thursday
2027 October 1 Friday
International Coffee Day
World Vegetarian Day
​International Day of Older Persons
Chinese National Day
National Black Dog Day
National Homemade Cookies Day
National Hair Day
National Fire Pup Day
​Pchum Ben
National Lace Day
CD Player Day
Model T Day
International Music Day
Balloons Around the World Day
Filipino American History Month
World Ballet Day
National Day of China
Teacher's Day in Uzbekistan
ROK Alliance Day
Nigeria Independence Day
Cyprus Independence Day
World Sake Day
Tuvalu Independence Day
International Raccoon Appreciation Day
National Fruit at Work Day
Investiture of the Captains Regent in San Marino
FGTeeV Chase's Birthday
Peter Thomas's Birthday
Julie Andrews's Birthday
Latisha Scott's Birthday
Dorian Hunter's Birthday
Jurnee Smollett-Bell's Birthday
Matthew Daddario's Birthday
Priah Ferguson's Birthday
Delianna Urena's Birthday
Zach Galifianakis's Birthday
Nathaniel Drew's Birthday
Myles Parrish's Birthday
RD Benji's Birthday
Brie Larson's Birthday
Drew Chadwick's Birthday
Isis King's Birthday
National Walk Your Dog Week
Elderly Filipino Week
Health Literacy Month
​​Italian American Heritage Month
Eat Better, Eat Together Month
Emotional Wellness Month
German American Heritage Month
National Caramel Month
National Chili Month
​National Dental Hygiene Month
​National Depression Education and Awareness Month
National Dessert Month
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Pasta Month
National Pickled Peppers Month
​National Pizza Month
​National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
National Pretzel Month
National Sausage Month
Polish American Heritage Month
​Fair Trade Month
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Caffeine Addiction Recovery Month
Vegetarian Month
National Chiropractic Month
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
​Blindness Awareness Month
AIDS Awareness Month
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
​National ADHD Awareness Month
​National Critical Illness Awareness Month
​National Ergonomics Month
​National Liver Awareness Month
​National Protect Your Hearing Month
​Rett Syndrome Awareness Month
​World Menopause Month
​National Physical Therapy Month
​National Book Month
LGBTQ+ History Month
National Crime Prevention Month
Church Library Month
Halloween Safety Month
Go Sober For October
Italian American Heritage and Culture Month
Financial Planning Month
International Walk To School Month
National Apple Month
National Non-GMO Month
National Pescatarian Month
Celebrate The Bilingual Child Month
Bat Appreciation Month
National Cookie Month
National Medical Librarians Month
​National Learning and Development Month
Contact Lens Safety Month
Country Music Month
National Animal Safety and Protection Month
National Church Safety and Security Month
Head Start Awareness Month
Dyslexia Awareness Month
National Arts & Humanities Month
National Cookbook Month
Long Term Care Planning Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Audiology Awareness Month
National LGBT History Month
​National Bullying Prevention Month
Eye Injury Prevention Month
World Animal Month
Unblocktober
National Pet Wellness Month
World Autism Month
Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month
World Habitat Awareness Month
Museums and Galleries Month
National Pitbull Awareness Month
Squirrel Awareness Month
National Orthodontic Health Month
​​Global Diversity Awareness Month
Family History Month
International School Libraries Month
Hog Out Month
Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
​Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Work and Family Month
​National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
The Big Draw
National Indigenous Peoples Month
American Pharmacists Month
Black Speculative Fiction Month
​Healthy Lung Month