Fans imitating their favorite stars in their mannerisms, styles and fashions are long known. But when those copies become a hazard to one’s health, it’s time to rein the obsession. Lady Gaga's manga-like eyes on her new video, "Bad Romance," was another case for fans to follow their star. But, little did the fans know that they are putting at risk various infections and blindness in rare cases.
Lady Gaga's cartoonishly large eyes, shown in her new video, inspired her fans, especially the kids, to buy the “circle lenses”, which are colored contact lenses, long famous in Korea. These contact lenses cover parts of the whites of the eyes, extending past the pupils. They are banned in the United States, but reports suggest it is being bought over the internet.
CBS Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton says wearing these contacts lenses without being properly fitted by a doctor increases risk of infection. "In some cases, rarely (infections can) can even lead to blindness," Ashton said. "Absent those things, corneal ulcers, scratches or abrasions in the corner of the eye, impairing vision either from the tears or from infection, and depriving the eye of oxygen all can set up the risk of infection and in rare cases, blindness."
But, according to a report in New York Times, Lady Gaga's gaze was computer-generated and that she wasn't wearing circle lenses in the video. Warning about the risks involved on wearing circle lenses, American Optometric Association said people who buy lenses "without a consultation from an eye doctor put themselves at risk of serious bacterial infection, or even significant damage to the eye's ability to function, with the potential for irreversible sight loss."
