HOUSE PASSES BILL REGULATING CONTACT LENSES AS DEVICES

The House has passed legislation that would regulate contact lenses as devices in order to ensure that they meet strict manufacturing standards.

In a statement, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) lauded the bill, S. 172, arguing that because contact lenses are placed directly on the eye, it is important that they be as safe as possible. Consequently, the FDA's designation of contact lenses as cosmetics was not enough, Waxman said.

"By passing this bill, we can ensure that FDA protects consumers from unsafe contact lenses. We can prevent serious eye injuries, even blindness. And we can send a timely message to teenagers and their parents about the dangers of unsupervised use of contact lenses at Halloween," Waxman added.

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