What are PFAS

What Are PFAS and Forever Chemicals?

PFAS stands for Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances - and is commonly referred to as “Forever Chemicals” - these substances are a group of synthetic organofluorine chemical compounds, and according to PubChem there are approximately 7 million such chemicals.

• Water-resistant fabrics, such as umbrellas and raincoats/jackets
• Nonstick cookware
• Toiletries, such as shampoo, conditioner, makeup and nail varnish
• Cleaning products
• Grease-proof paper

Are PFAS Safe?

PFAS can build up in your body over time, and people typically take in more PFAS than they excrete.

The EPA (Environment Protection Agency) recently announced new drinking water health advisories after determining that PFAS are more dangerous to people than scientists previously thought, and at lower levels than they originally believed were damaging. 

• Changes in cholesterol and liver enzyme levels.
• Small changes in infant birth weight.
• Increased risk of preeclampsia (high blood pressure in pregnant women).
• Increased risk of certain cancers (i.e., kidney and testicular).

Research has also linked PFAS to obesity, infertility, thyroid disease, and other health conditions.

How long does it take for PFAS to break down?

These compounds are not called forever chemicals for nothing, according to the Pennsylvania Health Department they can take 4 or more years to reduce by half in the body, and according to a statement on the PFASfree.org website, some forms can take over 1000 years to degrade in the environment.

Do Contact Lenses Contain PFAS?

A recent study by Mamavation analysed 18 sets of contact lenses from major manufacturers Johnson and Johnson (Acuvue), Alcon, and CooperVision for PFAS, they found that all 18 pairs tested positive for different levels of organic fluorine, a key indicator for the presence of PFAS.
The research also found that all of the contact lenses tested exceeded 100 ppm (parts per million) of organic fluorine, which is vastly higher than the levels considered safe for drinking water as recommended by the EPA (Environment Protection Agency)
Bausch and Lomb lenses were not included in the study, however, a spokesperson for Bausch and Lomb said  “No Bausch + Lomb soft contact lenses are formulated with fluorinated polymers or PFAS.”
Having said that not all contact lenses are equal - some contain more PFAS than others, from the information that is available here is a list of the major manufacturers of contact lenses that contain the lowest levels of PFAS

Dailies

Alcon Dailies TOTAL 1 One-Day Contact Lenses Water Gradient for Astigmatism (106 ppm)
Alcon Dailies MULTIFOCAL TOTAL 1 One-Day Contact Lenses Water Gradient (183 ppm)

Monthlies

Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus for Astigmatism (105 ppm)
Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus with UV Blocking (113 ppm)
Alcon AIR OPTIX plus HydraGlyde with Smartshield Technology (119 ppm)
Alcon Air OPTIX plus HydraGlyde for Astigmatism (173 ppm)

This study has not gone unnoticed by the manufacturers involved

An Alcon spokesperson stated
“Alcon contact lenses have been shown to be safe and are used daily by millions of people in more than 140 countries. All of Alcon’s contact lenses meet our stringent internal safety standards and comply with the regulatory requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, European Chemicals Agency, or similar regulatory bodies in all of the markets in which we sell our products,” 

"Alcon questions the results of that report. For example, Dailies Total 1 and Total 30 contact lenses do not contain organic fluorine in their formulation. Alcon is requesting a copy of the report to better understand how it reached its conclusions.

“Alcon remains committed to maintaining our legacy of manufacturing contact lenses to the highest quality and safety standards. In the meantime, consumers can confidently use all Alcon contact lenses,” the spokesperson said.

A CooperVision spokesperson stated
“PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) may be used in a wide range of products for important chemical and physical properties. Like thousands of other companies, we are learning as much as possible about this issue—and are committed to acting responsibly in the interests of our customers and sustainable practices.

"In addition to significant speculation and opinion masked as science," the CooperVision spokesperson said, "the blog post creating this discussion tested a marker, which it readily admits is not a direct assessment of PFAS inclusion. We have not been provided with its data and have not been contacted by the organization. There are multiple definitions of PFAS around the world, with no universal consensus.”

A Bausch + Lomb  spokesperson stated, “No Bausch + Lomb soft contact lenses are formulated with fluorinated polymers or PFAS.”

Johnson and Johnson Vision,(Acuvue), was unavailable for comment. 

Is It Safe To Wear Contact Lenses Containing PFAS?

It is important to note that you are exposed to PFAS in many other products, not just your contact lenses. ConsumerNotice.org has some helpful tips on reducing your exposure to PFAS.

When it comes to contact lenses and PFAS experts say there’s a lot we don't know at this point about the potential impact of PFAS. This is new information and, with that, there aren’t a lot of answers right now. 

So, until there is further information, and further studies examining the long-term harm of PFAS particularly in contact lenses, it’s a personal call. However, according to Bavand Youssefzadeh, D.O., an ophthalmologist at Global Lasik and Cataract Institute in Huntington Beach, California, “There’s fluoro in a lot of things and we’re becoming more aware of that,” he says. “I wouldn’t not use my contacts just yet,” “At this stage, this is definitely something to think about, but there’s not really evidence as to what the harms are just yet. Could this cause dry eye and eye allergies? We don’t know.”
And Scott Belcher, Ph.D., a toxicology and environmental health sciences professor at North Carolina State University and scientific adviser on the study, also doesn’t recommend that you pitch your contact lenses but says it’s important to be aware of the PFAS exposure.

How Do I Know If My Contact Lenses Contain PFAS?

That can be tricky, it is not listed on the packaging, so we would advise searching online, but be aware that not all studies are peer-reviewed, so their results may not have been verified for validity, quality, or integrity.

If you have concerns about whether or not your contact lenses contain PFAS, in what quantities, and whether they are the safest choice for you, speak to your optometrist who can talk you through your options, which might include different lenses, glasses or Lasik surgery.