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Halloween safety relies on visibility

By Special To The Mirror - | Oct 24, 2007

On Halloween, an assortment of ballerinas, clowns, ghosts and goblins will have their eyes on just one thing — candy. Roaming dimly lit neighborhoods is part of the fun for children in pursuit of treats, but it can also be dangerous.

“Trick-or-treaters and parents need to remember that on Halloween, to be safe, you must be seen,” said Julie Toon, O.D., president of the Eye Care Council. “Studies have shown that a child’s risk of injury or death as a result of being hit by a car doubles around Halloween.”

To help parents protect their children’s eyes and ensure children are easily seen by motorists, Eye Care Council optometrists offer the following precautions to parents to help promote Halloween safety:

  • If cosmetic contact lenses are part of your child’s costume, make sure they are obtained from your doctor of optometry to ensure that they fit properly. If not used properly, cosmetic contact lenses can cause vision loss.
  • Dress your child in light-colored costumes or place reflective tape on the costume’s fabric and accessories. Make sure children and adults are visible to passing cars.
  • Avoid costumes that block vision. Eliminate masks as they can get in the way of clear vision and increase the chances of tripping or running into objects.
  • Use makeup safely. Hypoallergenic makeup is the best alternative, but make sure to keep it away from the eyes.
  • Don’t allow sharp objects to be used as props. Sharp, pointed objects endanger your child’s eyes as well as the eyes of other children.

The Eye Care Council is a special vision health information resource created to better educate the public about vision and appropriate eye care.

Participating optometrists contribute time, money and professional advice to help people see more clearly, longer. For more information about protective eye care, consult an optometrist, call the council at (800) 960-EYES or visit the council’s Web site at www.eyedr.org.