Contact Lens Brands with Forever Chemicals Revealed: Alcon, Acuvue, Coopervision
A recent report from Mamavation has revealed that eighteen different types of soft contact lenses, including three major brands—Alcon, Acuvue, and Coopervision—contain detectable levels of organic fluorine, indicating the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly referred to as "forever chemicals."
According to the findings:
100% of contact lenses sent to Mamavation’s EPA-certified laboratory had indications of toxic PFAS “forever chemicals.”
The reported range of organic fluorine levels in these lenses varied significantly, ranging from 105 to 20,700 parts per million (ppm). Notably, the popular brands Acuvue, Alcon, and Coopervision all exhibited indications of PFAS "forever chemicals," albeit at different levels.
Among the tested contact lenses, 22% displayed organic fluorine levels surpassing 18,000 ppm, accounting for four out of the total 18 products assessed. Additionally, 44% of the lenses tested contained over 4,000 ppm of organic fluorine, representing eight out of the 18 products examined.
The brand Alcon had the highest level of organic fluorine found. These products with a higher detection ranged from 18,400 ppm to 20,700 ppm.
Alarming Findings: Below PFAS Contact Lenses Contain 1,000+ ppm Organic Fluorine
The below contact lenses were found to have 1,000 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine or more.
● Acuvue Oasys with HydraLuxe 1-Day — 6,096 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Acuvue Vita Astigmatism Senofilcon C Brand Contact Lenses — 5,537 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Alcon Air OPTIX (No Hydraglide) Soft Contact Lenses for Astigmatism — 20,000 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Alcon AIR OPTIX Colors Contact Lenses with Smartshield Technology — 20,700 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Alcon Dailies Colors One-Day Contact Lenses — 18,400 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Alcon Total 30 Contact Lenses for Daily Wear — 20,400 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Coopervision Biofinity Toric Contact Lenses — 4,751 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Coopervision Comfilcon A Multifocal Tinted Soft Contact Lenses — 5,613 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
Safer Alternatives: Eye Contact Lenses with Reduced Organic Fluorine Levels
These contacts were sent to an EPA-certified lab and found to have between 200 parts per million (ppm) and 1000 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine.
● Alcon Dailies TOTAL 1 One-Day Contact Lenses Water Gradient — 625 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Alcon MULTIFOCAL Dailies AquaComfort Plus One-Day Contact Lenses — 346 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Alcon Precision 1 One-Day Contact Lenses with SmartSurface Technology — 302 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Alcon TORIC Dailies AquaComfort Plus One-Day Contact Lenses — 914 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
Eye Contact Lenses with Minimal Organic Fluorine Content
After undergoing testing at an EPA-certified laboratory, it was determined that the below contact lenses contained organic fluorine levels below 200 parts per million (ppm). Unfortunately, none of the products were found to be completely free of detectable organic fluorine
● Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus Brand Contact Lenses with UV Blocking — 113 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus for Astigmatism — 105 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Alcon AIR OPTIX plus HydraGlyde with Smartshield Technology — 119 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Alcon Dailies MULTIFOCAL TOTAL 1 One-Day Contact Lenses Water Gradient — 183 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Alcon Dailies TOTAL 1 One-Day Contact Lenses Water Gradient for Astigmatism — 106 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
● Alcon Air OPTIX plus HydraGlyde for Astigmatism — 173 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine
For comments on the report, the aforementioned companies can reach us at info@ophthalmologybreakingnews.com.
