PFAS Toxic Forever Chemicals Detected in Soft Contact Lenses Sold in US, Study Shows

According to recent research, several varieties of soft contact lenses sold in the US may contain toxic "forever chemicals" or PFAS.

PFAS in Soft Contact Lenses

In recent consumer research, 18 sets of soft contacts were tested, and all of them tested positive for organic fluorine, a sign of the presence of either per or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

To find out exactly how much of this PFAS component was present in each of the 18 sets from three major brands, the eco-wellness website Mamavation sent them to a lab that was accredited by the EPA.

The eyes are one of the most sensitive body parts, according to Linda Birnbaum, a former head of the National Institute of Environmental Health and the National Toxicology Program.

Birnbaum considers it troubling that all tested soft contact lens items included organic fluorine, which is probably a kind of PFAS.

PFAS vs Health

There are countless varieties of PFAS, many of which are regular components in household goods like nonstick cookware, cosmetics, and outdoor clothing.

Due to their ability to resist water and stains, these substances have been utilized for decades; however, PFAS are also connected to a number of diseases, including kidney cancer, thyroid disease, and testicular cancer.

According to the findings, which were published by Mamavation with Environmental Health News, a website run by the charity Environmental Health Sciences, the levels of organic fluorine discovered by the laboratory ranged from 105 to 20,700 parts per million.

44% of the lenses had more organic fluorine than 4,000 parts per million, whereas about 22% had more than 18,000 parts per million of this element, per the report.

Organic Fluorine

According to Pete Myers, principal scientist of Environmental Health Sciences, it is absurd to assume that the levels of organic fluorine found in contact lenses are safe.

Myers noted that four different forms of PFAS, with concentrations ranging from 0.004 to 2,000 parts per trillion, were the subject of new drinking water health recommendations issued by the EPA last summer.

Myers stated that the fluorine content in all of the tested lenses surpassed 100 parts per million, acknowledging that comparing drinking water concentrations to those in contact lenses corresponds to comparing apples to oranges.

According to Myers, these amounts are 50,000 times greater than the EPA's upper limit for safe drinking water.

The link between PFAS exposure and eye illnesses, as well as whether these persistent substances can degrade in the eye, remains unproven.

However, the report emphasized that there are grounds for concern about contact lenses as a pathway for exposure because the eye is considered to be one of the most sensitive parts of the human body.

Ocular Conditions

PFAS blood levels in adults may be associated with a higher frequency of specific ocular disorders, according to a 2020 Environment International study carried out in China.

According to Terrence Collins, head of Carnegie Mellon University's Institute for Green Sciences, there is enough information available regarding PFAS compounds to make educated guesses and reasonable concerns about the safety of fluoropolymers in human cells or the environment.

Collins suggests avoiding these contact lenses at all costs, The Hill reports.