Trick or Treat: How to Keep Your Eyes Protected at Halloween

With Halloween directly upon us, millions of children are getting their costumes ready. As they make last minute adjustments to their costumes, parents should make sure that the costume is safe. This includes not only looking out for small objects or parts that can injure others, but eye safety as well.

Optometrists would like to assist parents in making sure their children's eyesight isn't going to be damaged as a result of their costume selection. Here are a few things to look out for.

Prop Glasses: In the last several years, figures such as Harry Potter have been a huge staple of Halloween costumes. And any proper Harry Potter costume must come complete with his signature eyeglasses. However, as a parent, you will want to make sure that the glasses your child wears are simply part of the costume and made of plastic. If your child goes for authenticity points by using a pair of actual reading glasses, this could hinder their eyesight later; prescription glasses for those that don't require them can cause headaches and damage your child's vision in the long run.

Contacts: Contacts are a big part of a costume for those that really take their costumes seriously. You can get contacts to match just about any costume: a scary reptile, a cat, even solid black contacts. However, there are many risks associated with decorative contacts. Keep in mind that any contact needs to be properly fitted and adjusted by a Manhattan eye doctor. Wearing contacts that have not been approved by an eye doctor can pose many serious threats such as bacterial infections and allergic reactions. They can also cause damage to the eye's basic functions, leading to sight loss.

Large Masks: This is a no-brainer. You certainly don't want any large mask to block your child's vision, but yet there are many costumes out there that bow down upon the forehead just enough to impeded eyesight. Make sure you'd child's mask is properly fitted, allowing them full access to their sight. Many masks are now available with a cushioned support lining the interior eye holes of the mask. If you can find one of these, this is going to be your best bet, especially for smaller children.

With these tips from eye doctors, your child's eyesight will survive the Halloween season easily. Regretfully, we can't do much for the tummy aches from all the candy.