Many contact lenses sold within the U.S. have dangerous levels of PFAS or toxic “endlessly chemicals” chargeable for serious health hazards similar to cancer, liver and kidney diseases, autoimmune disorders and fertility problems, a recent study has found.

The researchers behind the study evaluated 18 popular sorts of lenses and located extremely high levels of organic fluorine, a marker of PFAS in them.

In response to the American Chemical Society, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a category of hundreds of persistent, organic fluorinated chemicals used for coating various products for his or her water and stain-repelling properties. PFAS are called “endlessly chemicals” because they don’t naturally break down.

In the course of the testing, which was commissioned by the Mamavation and Environmental Health News public health blogs, the researchers examined the lenses made by Acuvue, Alcon and Coopervision for organic fluorine at an Environmental Protection Agency-approved lab and located them to have PFAS at levels between 105 parts per million (ppm) and 20,700 ppm, news.com.au reported.

The testing suggested that the lenses contain fluoropolymers PFAS that make up the soft plastic material used for disposable, soft lenses. All contact lenses contained greater than 100 ppm, which is 50,000 times greater than the best level approved to be secure in drinking water by the EPA.

“You can consider [the lenses] almost pure PFAS,” Scott Belcher, a North Carolina State University researcher and scientific adviser on contact lens testing, told The Guardian.

Alcon Air Optix (No Hydraglide) for Astigmatism (20,000 ppm), Alcon Air Optix Colours with Smartshield Technology (20,700 ppm) and Alcon Total30 Contact Lenses for Day by day Wear (20,400 ppm) were the three contact lenses that showed highest levels of organic fluorine.

The study found that Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus with UV Blocking (113 ppm) and Alcon Dailies Total One-Day Water Gradient for Astigmatism (106 ppm) had the bottom levels.

The extent of the health effects PFAS in lenses may cause stays unclear, as no previous research has been done to guage how the eyes absorb them.

Nonetheless, the researchers imagine PFAS will be absorbed by the eyes since they’re generally highly mobile compounds which are absorbed through the dermis layer of the skin. But fluoropolymers are a less mobile sort of PFAS.

The manufacturers needn’t disclose using PFAS of their products because the federal government allows them to assert it as a trade secret. In lots of cases, these chemicals also get unintentionally added to products throughout the availability chain resulting from their wide use.

Earlier research has also found the presence of PFAS in products similar to toilet paper, plastic food containers and fruit juices.

The researchers who evaluated 18 popular sorts of contact lenses found extremely high levels of organic fluorine, a marker of PFAS in them.
Photo courtesy of איתן טל, CC BY 3.0

Published by Medicaldaily.com