'Forever Chemicals' Were Found In Popular Contact Lenses & Here’s What It Means For Your Eyes
"Forever chemicals" have been linked to cancer.
A woman putting a contact lens into her eye.
Many people rely on contact lenses to help with their vision, but a new study which found toxic chemicals in several popular brands of lenses may have you questioning if it's safe to continue using them.
In a consumer study, 18 different soft eye contact lenses from the brands Alcon, Acuvue and CooperVision were tested for toxic man-made chemicals that have been linked to cancer.
For the consumer study, Mamavation, a website listed as a source for moms looking for non-toxic product recommendations, partnered with Environmental Health News.
The tests they had done at an Environmental Protection Agency-certified lab revealed that all 18 lenses had varying levels of organic fluorine, which is a marker for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or "forever chemicals."
Dr. Harry Van Ymeren, who has been an optometrist for over 30 years, says he was "disturbed" to learn about the findings. He says that's because the discovery of these chemicals in contact lenses was not "common knowledge."
"Whenever something new comes out like this, it's very important to not dismiss it," the London, Ontario, optometrist and president of the London and Area Association of Optometrists told Narcity in an interview.
In the U.S. alone, over 40 million people wear contact lenses so it's safe to assume anyone who relies on them will have questions following a study like this one.
Here's everything we know so far about the study and whether you should have any concerns before popping in another pair of contact lenses.
What are PFAS?
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), PFAS are "man-made chemicals" that have been used in consumer products, like cookware and stain-resistant fabrics, since the 1940s.
The Environmental Working Group in the U.S. notes that PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" because they build up in our bodies and "never break down in the environment."
The group adds that small doses of the chemicals have been linked to diseases like cancer and reproductive problems.
Should you be concerned about the findings of this study?
While the findings are startling to read, Van Ymeren says the exact risk of wearing these contact lenses is unknown at this point and more research needs to be done to see if the chemicals can leach into the eye.
"A contact lens is very intimate when it comes to our bodies, it's going in our eye, it's being bathed in our tear film, it's touching every vascular tissue in the eye as well," he explained.
In an emailed statement to Narcity, Dr. Cindy Hutnik also reiterated that while studies may present looming health concerns, "caution is important when considering any study."
"Seems to me in this particular instance of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in contact lenses, much more research is needed to truly understand the impact on the human body," the professor and chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry in London, Ontario, shared.
Which contact lenses had the highest and lowest amount of PFAS?
According to the Mamavation website, the top three lenses with the highest amount of organic fluorine were Alcon Air Optix Colors with Smartshield Technology, Alcon Total30 Contact Lenses for Daily Wear and Alcon Air Optix (No Hydraglide) for Astigmatism.
As for the tested lenses with the lowest levels of organic fluorine, those were Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus with UV Blocking, Alcon Dailies Total One-Day Water Gradient for Astigmatism and Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus for Astigmatism.
Why are these chemicals used in contact lenses?
It's not exactly clear why PFAS are used in contact lenses, but Van Ymeren suspects the chemicals "affect the wettability of the plastic."
"What makes a contact lens very biocompatible is to ensure that the contact lens is very wettable so that your tear flow can smoothly go across the surface," he explained.
"The surface of the contact has a very low friction, it's very smooth and slippery, and therefore it causes less irritation in the eye."
Do experts recommend that you stop wearing contact lenses?
Van Ymeren says he personally won't stop wearing contact lenses as of yet.
However, he also advises anyone with concerns to bring it up with an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
"One of the good things about these studies when they come out in the media, is that it does create a lot of questions and those questions invariably lead to answers," he said.
Another important takeaway from the study, according to Van Ymeren, is ensuring that people dispose of their contact lenses properly, especially now that we know they may contain PFAS.
He says one way to do this is by checking with your local optometrist to see if they have a recycling program.
In an interview with Fox News, holistic optometrist Dr. Marc Grossman says he's not too concerned about these chemicals being present in contacts. That's because he notes the chemicals are found in a lot of different products we use every day.
Grossman also told the news outlet that these studies "do not clearly state if there are contact lenses that contain fewer chemicals than others."
"In 43 years of practice, I have not found that individuals who wear contact lenses are affected by eye diseases more than those who do not," he told the outlet.
What have the companies said in response to the study?
In a statement to Narcity, a spokesperson for Alcon said the company's contact lenses "have been shown to be safe."
The company also notes that all of its contact lenses meet "stringent internal safety standards" and "comply with the regulatory requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, European Chemicals Agency, or similar regulatory bodies in all of the markets in which we sell our products."
"Alcon continually monitors and evaluates emerging science and information about the materials we use so that we can keep earning the trust of the eye care professionals and consumers we serve," the statement continues.
The company also says it's aware of the report and is questioning the results. Alcon's spokesperson tells Narcity they have requested a copy of the report to better understand how they "reached its conclusions."
"Alcon remains committed to maintaining our legacy of manufacturing contact lenses to the highest quality and safety standards. In the meantime, consumers can confidently use all Alcon contact lenses."
Narcity also reached out to Johnson & Johnson, which is the maker of Acuvue lenses, as well as CooperVision. We did not hear back from either company by the time of publication.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.