Where GaGa goes others will follow and her latest video has health experts worried. Not because of the amount of peroxide she wears, or her scantily clad poses, but her oversized cartoon like pupils that give her a strangely Manga innocent air. Her eyes were digitally enhanced but there is a growing trend for specially created contact lenses designed to give the eye the same effect. Called Circle lenses they work by covering not just the pupil but part of the white of the eye.
Circle lenses have already achieved popularity in Japan and Korea where women try to look like anime charcaters, but there are fears this trend wil now get widespread appeal. Why is it so bad?
Well, it's currently illegal to sell contact lenses, whether cosmetic or prescriptive without a checkup, and no company in the UK or the USA sells these lenses- which are VERY easy to buy online from a whole bunch of overseas retailers. They're available in both prescription and cosmetic varieties.
As they're not sold in the UK or USA it means you don't get fitted for them, and the fact that they're oversized can lead to infection, irritation and tearing of the eye.
This doesn't automatically mean they'll damage you, as they're worn comfortably by many people already. To negate any harmful effects if you use these follow these steps.
1. Take the purchased lenses to you optician for a fitting.
2. Check they're CE and ISO 13485 approved. Brands like EOS and GEO (both e-tailers of the lenses are).
There are many places to buy them online, all for around the £20 mark and below. The biggest ones seem to be Pinky Paradise and Circle Lens 2 U.