Buying contact lenses online can provide an exceptional service, with competitive prices, convenience, door to door delivery, and quality branded products, however, unfortunately there are some cases of fake lenses being sold. How do you know if the new pair of lenses you have just purchased are real? Below we will go through some of the telling signs that differentiate between a fake pair and a legitimate product. Falling prey to fake lenses is not only a hinderance, but can be detrimental to your eye health- leading to infection and vision loss. Always check over your contacts before you wear to protect both you and your eyes.

Signs of fake contact lenses

1. Check your box over and look for typographical errors like misspellings of words, or inconsistencies in the packaging such as different colours on the box to what it should be.

2. Lenses that are different in size- usually they appear smaller or larger.

3. Lens material appears thicker in the centre of the lens, or displays other surface irregularities such as uneven edges, air bubbles, or bumps.

4. Inconsistent surface alignment- where your lens does not align with your cornea and conjunctiva like it is meant to.

5. Lenses that contain obvious less water content.

6. Abnormal, pain, itching, and discomfort whilst wearing.

The above are guidelines in what to look for when determining the authenticity of your pair of contact lenses. Of course, any pain or discomfort associated with contacts can be caused by a variety of problems- not necessarily because they are fake, and regardless should be seen to immediately.

The risks of wearing counterfeit contacts

Due to being poorly manufactured, wearing fake contact lenses can lead to serious damage to your eyes. The damage can range from mild to serious, such as the following:

- Eye irritation (dry, sore, itchy eyes)

- Blurred vision

- Extreme pain

- Corneal abrasion

- Ulcers of the cornea

- Bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infection of the eye

- Damage to your ocular immune system 

- Decrease levels of oxygen to the cornea

- Loss of vision

It is also important to note that alongside fake contact lenses you also need to be aware of fake contact solution which has the same detrimental effects to your eyes. Fake contact solution is a bit harder to detect, but otherwise look for irregularities on the bottle, or if you notice the liquid is emitting a funny smell. It can be safe to assume too, if you have purchased a pair of fake lenses from a particular site, that their solution will also be counterfeit.

How to avoid purchasing fake contacts

The number one preventative to reduce the risk of encountering counterfeit products is to be very mindful of where you purchase your lenses from. Ensure the site is a legitimate store if purchasing online, and do as much research as you can such as reading store reviews, and pay careful attention on what products they stock. For those who feel safer purchasing directly through their eye doctor, this is also a good way to usually avoid counterfeit lenses. If in doubt, remember to countercheck your contacts with the above list which can help to tell if your lenses are a fake before you wear. If you happen to receive a fake pair of contacts, do not hesitate to report this right away to your consumer affairs department.