Animal Testing in the Contact Lens Industry

The Reasoning

After working with Blue Planet Optics for a couple of weeks, I have a new perspective on companies' processes to get products approved. We believe no animal should have to go through these harsh conditions. This blog post will discuss the importance of cruelty-free products and what testing looks like today.

Starting with the facts

According to PETA, over 100 million animals are used for testing yearly (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Animals like dogs, cats, mice, frogs, monkeys and many other animals endure testing. Some of the procedures they undergo include exposure to toxic fumes, injections, and painful skin tests.

In some cases, animals' brains are drilled into, or their skin is removed for device implants. Throughout all this, these animals are often kept in confined cages. Instead of being treated like living creatures, they’re treated like laboratory equipment. 

Since contact solutions are classified as medical devices, they require FDA approval and regulations. There are three classes of medical devices, and contact solutions are class ll. Class ll medical devices have a potential user risk but there are standards in place to ensure effectiveness and safety (https://www.reviewofcontactlenses.com/article/just-in-case). To ensure safety products have to go through testing and it is common to see rabbits used to test products. Rabbits are the most commonly used animal when testing because of their calm nature. Over 161,000 rabbits are abused annually, and these rabbits are exposed to different solutions and positions that can be harmful or fatal (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The idea of testing a product before giving it to the public is excellent, but there are many better ways to test products that are more reasonable and safer for animals. 

The Importance

One of the main arguments against animal testing is that it is not identical to human conditions. Therefore, these tests are often not the most effective method for protecting human health. Look for the cruelty-free logo on the products you purchase to ensure the way the product was tested matches your values.

If you’d like to support the launch of our cruelty-free contact lens solution, visit our GoFundMe page. As consumers, when we put in the extra effort to research a company before purchasing from their store, we can educate ourselves on what goes on behind closed doors and make smarter decisions that benefit the world.

- Ryan Dougherty