Common Contact Lens FAQs

We have a huge range of fashion contact lenses available year-round at Blue Banana, because why not add to your gothic outfit with a pair of red or white lenses? However, these lenses are also perfect for Halloween! If you feel like your Halloween costume is currently missing that spark to stand out in a crowd, we’d recommend adding a pair of costume contact lenses to your look.

Now that we’re all more aware of the risks of fast fashion, a lot of us are feeling a bit more hesitant about buying a cheap Halloween costume from the store and calling it a day after wearing it once. However, it can also feel difficult to achieve an effective and impactful Halloween costume whilst simply using the items already in your wardrobe. So, why not meet in the middle, and rather than buy a whole new outfit just for the evening, buy some accessories to ensure that your costume is meeting all the spooky requirements of the night? 

Your gothic or alternative wardrobe is the perfect base for many Halloween costumes - dressing in all black and calling it a night seems to be enough for some on the 31st of October. But, with a pair of contact lenses, you could elevate your simple, plain black outfit into that of a witch (or a vampire, potentially, with a little fake blood).

We have nearly 200 different styles and colours of costume lenses, and we’ve added even more to the range just in time for Halloween. Make sure you check out our latest SFX contact lenses if you’re looking for the most eye-catching lenses with the biggest impact! We’ve added some brand new UV contact lenses to our range, with bold colour, a new and unique pattern, and a smaller pupil design. These lenses are super spooky, with their animalistic shrunken pupil creating an unsettling effect; perfect for Halloween. Remember, our UV lenses do NOT glow in the dark; rather, they are UV reactive. This means they need to be under direct UV light for the specific pigment in the lenses to be activated to achieve that special glow! 

In the rest of this blog, we’ll guide you through all the best tips, tricks, and facts to keep in mind when using your own pair of contact lenses this Halloween! 

1. Check the Lenses

Before you open the packaging of the lenses (making them non-returnable and non-refundable due to hygiene issues), double-check that these are the lenses you were expecting to receive. Firstly, check the box for the measurements, duration, name, and expiry date. Please be aware that the name may be slightly different to its version on the website. Following this, examine the lenses by inspecting the colour and style through the vial or blister pack that your contact lens has arrived in.

At the same time, you should also check the lenses for any potential damage. Rough transportation or storage could cause an issue, such as a tear or rip in the lens. This also includes if the lens storage solution appears to have leaked or if the lens is dried out. Check that there is no obvious damage to the lens before opening it. If there is any visible damage, do NOT open the packaging. Take a photo and send it to our customer service team, with a short explanation of the situation. 

2. Soak the Lenses

Once you have checked that the lenses are safe and suitable for use from the outside of the packaging, you can open up your lenses! Only handle your contact lenses with clean hands. Don’t instantly put them in your eye, either - the solution that the lens is stored and transported in could irritate your eyes. Instead, place the lenses in a clean case with some fresh All-In-One contact lens cleansing solution and allow them to soak for at least two hours to both clean and help soften them.

Any time you handle your contact lenses, ensure that your hands are clean to avoid transferring anything from your hands onto the lens and then into your eye. Also, be gentle when handling the lenses; these lenses can be very delicate, so to avoid rips or tears, take care when holding the lenses. 

3. Inserting the Lenses

Inserting contact lenses can be a fiddly job; remember to be gentle throughout the handling process. Before taking your contact lenses out of the cleansing solution, ensure that your hands are clean. 

When holding the lens on the tip of your finger, or the end of an applicator, make sure that the contact lens is not the wrong way round; check that the lens is a smooth U-shape, NOT a V-shape with a lip on the outer edge. 

For inserting the lens, we recommend gently pulling down the lower eyelid and carefully placing the contact lens steadily on your eye. It can help to look up and away from the lens as you place it on your eye to help overcome any natural inclination to flinch. If the lens is not immediately aligned, carefully blink gently a couple of times to see if this helps the lens naturally adjust into place. Wait until the lens feels secure and comfortable. If the lens continues to feel uncomfortable or causes any feelings of pain and severe discomfort, immediately remove the lens to avoid any potential harm to your eye. 

4. Wearing Contact Lenses

Success! You’re now wearing your brand new contact lenses. Make sure to take plenty of photos whilst you’re in full costume this Halloween. But there are a couple of things to still be aware of when you’re wearing your lenses.

It may sound obvious, but avoid rubbing your eyes or fiddling with the lenses. This could cause debris to get into your eyes and stick to the lens, or cause the lens to become unstuck. 

Don’t wear the lenses for more than 8 consecutive hours; after this, your eyes could become extremely dry, making them feel sore, tired, and irritated. Never fall asleep whilst still wearing your contact lenses, as this could seriously harm your eyes. 

Don’t attempt to wear more than one lens in each eye, and avoid anything like swimming, showering, bathing, or contact sports and heavy exercise whilst wearing the lenses.

Never share contact lenses with somebody else; this is possibly one of the quickest paths to an eye infection. 

5. Removing Your Lenses

Top Tip: When it comes to removal time, it is recommended to use some eye drops to help lubricate the lenses and make them easier to remove. If you have been wearing them for the maximum duration, they may have become slightly dry. 

Make sure to wash your hands and dry them thoroughly before touching your eyes.

Take care when removing your contact lenses. Repeat the motion of gently pulling down your lower eyelid from inserting the lens, and carefully touch the lens to slide it downwards towards the lower edge of your eye. Use your thumb and finger to delicately pinch the lens and remove it.

6. What To Do With Your Lenses After Removing Them

If you have reusable contact lenses or lenses with a 30-day duration, gently cleanse the lenses with All-In-One Contact Lens Cleaning Solution. With clean hands, rest the lens in your hand and add a few drops of lens solution. Then, gently rub the lens to clean any debris or build-up. Clear away the used solution before rinsing the lens with clean solution. It is important that you do not clean your contact lenses with regular tap water, as this could contaminate the lenses. 

Once the contact lenses have been cleaned, return them to an air-tight container filled with more contact lens solution to keep them sterile and prevent them from drying out.

Never wear your contact lenses past their stated duration date; this is different from the expiry date. The expiry date on the outside of the packaging indicates the lenses should not be opened or used at all past the best-before before. The duration date begins from the date that the lenses have been opened. For example, if you opened a pair of 30-day lenses on the 1st of September, you should throw the lenses away on the 30th of September. No matter how many times the lenses have been worn, you should get rid of reusable lenses after this date.

Disposable contact lenses, also known as daily duration lenses or 1-day contact lenses, should always be discarded and thrown away after use.

Another top tip to remember when wearing contact lenses, particularly around Halloween when you may be wearing heavy makeup as part of your costume, is to put your lenses in before applying your makeup to avoid any potential contamination. However, we would recommend removing your lenses before your makeup to avoid disturbing the lenses with any vigorous cleansing motions.

If you experience any serious pain or discomfort whilst wearing contact lenses, immediately take them out. If the discomfort continues, see a doctor or optician. 

Now that we’ve given you a refresher on how to safely use contact lenses, it’s time to put your costume together! Pick out the perfect pair of lenses today to suit your Halloween costume. A pair of red, black, or white lenses may be basic, but they’re extremely versatile and ideal for a range of costumes:

• Ghost
• Vampire
• Demon
• Witch
• Zombie
• Ghoul
• A monster of your own creation! 

If you still have any other questions about wearing contact lenses, or you’re looking for more Halloween costume inspiration, check out our other blogs and guides.