Color contact lenses to be strictly controlled

Friday 11th July, 02:30 PM JST

TOKYO —

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has announced that the government will strictly control color contact lens as a medical item by amending related laws within a year. The contact lenses are currently sold by shops without a medical license.

According to the ministry, about 5 million color contact lens are imported a year, mainly from South Korea. Prescriptions are not needed for color contact lenses that are used as fashion accessories and which do not correct vision. They can be sold without a medical prescription at daily goods shops.

The ministry said 167 people have reported health troubles stemming from the use of color contact lens in the past two and half years. Twenty-one have suffered serious damage to their eyes.

Latest 15 of 22 Total Comments Show All

smithinjapan at 05:16 PM JST - 11th July

My wife wears Korean coloured contacts once in a while for fashion (I tell her she doesn't need them, to which she immediately puts them in), and at least on a few occasions one of her eyes has flared up to be completely red. Granted, she sometimes doesn't put them in solution and is a bit lazy about cleaning them, which could be part of it, but still...

I don't see why these should be banned or strictly controlled. It's the same as anything else; if people don't wash their clothes and wear them over and over they're likely to get a rash (as well as smell, etc.); if they dye their hair constantly the hair is likely to split easier and eventually turn into a texture that resembles straw. You think they're going to 'strictly control' all those things? No way in hell. They're simply going to strictly control the IMPORTED stuff, and push for sales of the same thing, domestically. Fashion is fashion, and people have all sorts of quirks, but this is about politics, not safety.
jammer at 05:21 PM JST - 11th July

controlled as strictly as the eel industry, the beef industry, the frozen foods industry, the banking industry, the .....

riiiigggghhht.
wilbur at 05:36 PM JST - 11th July

smith, you are absolutely right
DXXJP at 06:05 PM JST - 11th July

WOW are they going to do something about the back ally piercings too. I think that's a little more dangerous than the contacts. As usual the GOV is about 5 years too late.
timorborder at 07:17 PM JST - 11th July

Don't if this is a case of domestic vs. imported. Based on the research I have done and the photos I have seen, I am fully in favor of them being banned (imported, domestic, whatever) until such as time as such products offer the same medical benefits as prescription contacts. Better being near sighted than lining up for a guide dog.
Reader1 at 09:17 PM JST - 11th July

I'm with you Smith! This is about being responsible personally and the J gov could make this accessible to people through entomologists where you have to have your eyes checked first. After that the person who buys them becomes responsible for proper eye care. And why do some people have to be told at an older age to look both ways before crossing the street and to clean up their mess when they are finished making a sandwich? Its called BEING A RESPONSIBLE ADULT!
GW at 09:55 PM JST - 11th July

listen to the tim-man,

people if you need glasses, contacts, lazer surgery, whatever, do right by yr eyes, I remember when I was young & stupid, left my contacts in after a night of drunken debauchery, ok just a night of drunkeness & imagined debauchery.........the next day with my perscription contacts in was hell, cudnt get`em out, when I did thought I had done permanent damage, sure this was ages ago, but since then, no friggin way, no contact crap lenses in my eyes, scared the %$%& outta me, be careful, dont screw with yr sight point blank!
Apsara at 10:11 PM JST - 11th July

The thing is that damaged eyesight is far more debilitating than a rash from not washing your clothes or split ends from hair dye, and that people are buying and wearing coloured contacts without knowing that they are potentially damaging their eyesight. I think at least requiring strong warnings on the packaging of the dangers of not using the contacts properly is warranted, because not everyone will go to the trouble to find out for themselves.

I'm lucky enough to have good eyesight and would never consider poking myself in the eyes for the sake of fashion.
Pukey2 at 12:13 AM JST - 12th July

As someone who has used contact lenses for many, many years, I always clean them properly (after having washed my hands with soap), never sleep overnight without removing them, etc. I've had minor problems before, but these were probably due to germs somehow getting onto the lenses.

I've seen women on trains here who just put saliva onto their lenses to wet them and put them into their eyes. Simply disgusting and unhygenic.

The problem with the coloured lenses would never have occured had these Japanese not tried so hard to make themselves look like westerners. What is it that makes these people to go to extraordinary lengths to change their race - coloured lens, eyelid surgery, hair bleaching, etc.
OssanULTRA at 02:06 AM JST - 12th July

"I've seen women on trains here who just put saliva onto their lenses to wet them and put them into their eyes. Simply disgusting and unhygenic."

And action no doubt based on the fact that Saliva does contain anti-bacterial properties. However, considering all the other germs that can accumulate in the mouth I certaibly wouldn't use it as an alternative to any sterile eye-care fluid.

"The problem with the coloured lenses would never have occured had these Japanese not tried so hard to make themselves look like westerners. What is it that makes these people to go to extraordinary lengths to change their race - coloured lens, eyelid surgery, hair bleaching, etc."

This is not unique to Japan at all. You see it in South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and you're seeing it now more in cosmopolitan Chinese cities. In fact, I'd say it's not unique to the orient either.
Armanian at 03:47 AM JST - 12th July

"The problem with the coloured lenses would never have occured had these Japanese not tried so hard to make themselves look like westerners. What is it that makes these people to go to extraordinary lengths to change their race - coloured lens, eyelid surgery, hair bleaching, etc."

Really i wouldnt say that they are trying anything like that... they just use them as a fasion fad... most of the time people wear different shaped irises on their contacts like the snake eyes or the Sasuke Sharingan shape of Naruto... so how the hell can you say those are like westerners eyes??
adaydream at 04:00 AM JST - 12th July

You know even us westeners do silly stuff to change ourselves.

I tan in the summer till I'm very dark. I use a lotion that promotes tanning.

I wear contacts now so I don't have to wear glasses.

Some of us do things a little differently. You driver's licence has your eye color on it, correct?

Maybe we just have to encourage that the proper steps in cleaning them and wearing them be adhered to.

It has a lot to do with personal responsibility. < :-)
ca1ic0cat at 04:03 AM JST - 12th July

Contact lenses should be dispensed by perscription only. They aren't simply fashion accessories. The risk of eye infection or damage is real, especially if you haven't been trained in proper cleaning procedures. It's serious enough that when I went to China the doctor told me "leave your contacts in Ebina, the water in China will give you an infection for sure."

If you loose your vision you are going to be fundimentally handicapped and end up costing society a bunch of money to take care of you. It's not just a matter of being a responsible adult. It's a matter of reputable retail outlets (Snow Brand contacts anyone?) personal hygene (not a problem with the people I know here) and who pays if it all goes wrong.
Smythe at 06:01 AM JST - 12th July

Having forked out $3,600.00 in Cdn funds (more money for special eye drops) to have my eyes operated on. Really I was quite happy with my various glasses like my normal bifocals, special glasses for the PC along with reading to another set ground so I can shoot a h/gun better. Problem is my left eye was shot & problem was spreading to the right.

I am not one for much of a change in my ways or how I look. Besides I will admit that probably is why I am such an old bachelor.

Still in mind I honestly feel that people of other nations should feel free to appear normal to their country in appearance & whatever. Had a g/f that was born in north China with one eye way off whack to the other, pretty darn flat on the chest area & same on the butt. Yet while a bit picky on clothing (what woman is not?) she stayed the same & it was her personality that was so impressive. I feel if she had a Roman-like nose she would have not had any operation to make the change. She was herself & loved by all.
berri_fusion at 06:55 AM JST - 12th July

Why not hair treatments too? lol. I hear coloring your hair leads to cancer...we all know many people in Japan do both...I thought looking the same was back in starting last year? lol.