OPTOMETRISTS RESPOND TO REPORTS OF ‘FOREVER CHEMICALS’ IN LENSES

[ THE COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRISTS has issued a statement in response to news reports that many soft contact lenses in the USA contain compounds called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), dubbed ‘forever chemicals’ because of their persistence in the environment.

A report in the Daily Express in May quoted Mamavision, an eco-wellness product investigation community in the USA, as saying that: “…exposure to PFAS could cause lowered immunity, increased cholesterol levels, metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lowered fertility in men and women, increased risk of kidney and testicular cancers, and other side effects.”

The statement from the College of Optometrists says: “We are aware that PFAS are increasingly being detected as pollutants and some are linked to negative effects on human health. They are used in rigid gas permeable contact lenses in Europe, although the use of PFAS in the EU (including in medical devices) is currently under review.”

The college points out that there are currently no published case reports or formal safety alerts of direct harmful effects relating to PFAS in contact lenses, or peer-reviewed published studies on the release or absorption characteristics of the chemicals from a contact lens to the eye.

“We recognise the need to reduce the environmental impact of eye care, including contact lens manufacture and disposal,” the statement says, “while maintaining the quality and safety of patient care. We would strongly support the research and development of contact lens materials that offer high clinical performance, excellent patient safety and comfort, and environmentally sustainable manufacturing methods.”

In the meantime, the college says that current contact lenses, when worn and cared for according to recommendations by a contact lens practitioner, are considered very safe. Contact lens complications such as infections do occur but these are rare, with severe contact lensrelated infections affecting 2-4 people for 10,000 per year with typical daily wear. It is, therefore, important that contact lens wearers attend contact lens appointments as recommended by their practitioner, as that helps ensure their lenses remain suitable and their eye health can be assessed. q