Keep your eyes peeled for dangerous Halloween costumes

Tuesday 25 October 2016

Parents are being urged to dress themselves and their kids up safely this Halloween.

A nationwide investigation, just before the big day last year, showed 20% of children’s fancy dress costumes failed to pass safety tests and this year you need to keep your eyes peeled for dress-up contact lenses too that could end up damaging your sight.

Trading Standards and Jersey's Fire and Rescue Service are now reminding parents to keep a look out for the CE mark on costumes, follow the instructions and safety information, replace candles with LED lights so they avoid naked flames, and follow the "stop, drop and roll" rule if costumes start to catch fire.

The Health Department say Islanders could also be risking their eyesight wearing novelty coloured contact lenses from unregulated outlets as part of their fancy dress and are pushing for a change in the law to stop shops selling them.

The Head of Professional and Care Regulation Christine Blackwood said: "Cosmetic contact lenses should not be supplied by anyone other than an optician or doctor. Opticians make sure that contact lenses fit properly and that wearers receive expert advice on how to wear and store them safely.

"The reason we are proposing a change in the law is to ensure that Jersey consumers are automatically protected from avoidable harm in the future. In the meantime, especially at Halloween is so soon, our advice is - just as with normal corrective contact lenses - not to be tempted to buy or use cosmetic contact lenses from a novelty or fancy dress shop, a cosmetics shop, or from a market or street pop-up stall."

Trading Standards have been speaking to town retailers to warn them of the potential risks and say the Law Officers Department is drafting amendments to the Opticians Law which if approved by the States would stop anyone other than registered opticians or doctors supplying contact lenses.

Director of Trading Standards Alison de Bourcier said: "Cosmetic contact lenses are often made and distributed on a "one size fits all" basis and not tailored to the wearer's needs, which can increase the risk of eye health issues.

"We would advise against buying products like these online or from retailers are without professional supervision, there are more likely to be health concerns for the individual."