Don't go gaga over Lady Gaga's eyes

Eyecare professionals are warning against the latest craze found in "circle" contacts as worn by pop starlet Lady Gaga in her "Bad Romance" video. While the circle lenses are illegal to sell in the United States, they can be purchased online and more and more teenagers are hopping on board the fashion bandwagon. The circle lens gives the wearer a childlike, doe-eyed appearance much like the characters in Japanese anime. Young women see the lenses as being as necessary as lipstick or mascara in their everyday beauty routine. Web sites which sell the circle lenses are not FDA-approved and these web sites do not bother to verify customers' prescriptions with their eye doctors. As a result, customers can order any prescription strength. Such carelessness with a person's vision can lead to eye injuries and even blindness. Ill-fitting contact lenses can deprive the eyes of oxygen and cause serious vision problems.* Elise Ervin Staff Writer