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CONCERNS over regulatory enforcement and consumer safety have intensified following the widespread availability of cheap and potentially unregistered contact lenses in Kuala Lumpur, with eye care specialists warning of serious and preventable health complications.
Market checks by New Straits Times revealed that multiple retail outlets are selling contact lenses, including prescription types, at prices as low as RM10 per pair, in some cases without qualified optometrists present. The findings have raised questions about compliance with Malaysian laws governing medical devices.
Several low-cost products were labelled as being manufactured in Korea but featured Thai-language packaging, casting doubt over their authenticity and registration status.
High-powered prescription lenses, reaching up to 1,000, were also available at similarly low prices, while more commonly used lower-powered lenses appeared to be in short supply.
Retail staff at some outlets confirmed limited stock for certain prescriptions. In contrast, lenses believed to be registered were sold at higher prices, with non-prescription variants priced at RM15 and prescription lenses at RM25.
"All the lenses without power are here at the front. The ones with power are inside, I can get them for you," a sales assistant said.
Under the Medical Devices Act 2012, contact lenses and their solutions are classified as regulated medical devices and must be registered before sale or importation. The Optical Act 1991 further requires that such products be prescribed and dispensed by registered opticians or optometrists.
Medical Device Authority chief executive Dr Muralitharan Paramasua stressed that compliance with these requirements is essential.
"The public should check the packaging. It must display a registration number on the label, which can then be verified through the MDA website's Public Search."
Associate Professor Datuk Dr Khairidzan Mohd Kamal of the Malaysian Society of Ophthalmology said clinicians continue to encounter cases of avoidable complications linked to unsafe contact lens use.
"The problem is real and clinically significant. Malaysia has a National Eye Database registry for contact lens-related corneal ulcers.
"An early two-year review reported 202 cases, with a mean age of 26.7 years, 71.8 per cent female, and all cases involving soft lenses.
"Malaysian literature has also reported night market contact lens-related corneal ulcer, which shows that informal sales channels are not a theoretical risk," he said.
He cautioned against the widespread misconception that cosmetic or coloured lenses without prescription are merely aesthetic products.
"The Malaysian Optical Council defines a contact lens as a lens-shaped medical device mounted directly on the surface of the cornea and or conjunctiva of the eye.
"The MDA also states that non-corrective contact lenses are regulated as medical devices. This is why fit, material quality, pigment design, hygiene, storage and wearing schedule all matter.
"A poorly made or poorly fitted lens can scratch the cornea, reduce oxygen delivery, trigger inflammation and create an entry point for infection," he said.
Dr Khairidzan warned that microbial keratitis, a severe corneal infection, remains the most serious risk associated with unsafe lenses and can lead to permanent vision damage.
"Mechanical trauma or abrasion may occur at the point of insertion or removal.
"Bacterial keratitis can progress rapidly, and severe cases may lead to major corneal destruction within 24 to 48 hours if treatment is delayed.
"Acanthamoeba keratitis may present more insidiously, but delayed diagnosis is common and is associated with worse visual outcomes."
He added that symptoms such as red eyes, pain, persistent discomfort, blurred vision, light sensitivity, excessive tearing, discharge or a visible white spot on the cornea should be treated as warning signs.
"These symptoms should never be dismissed as minor irritation.
"The practical rule is simple: If contact lens wearers have a painful red eye, reduced vision, or photophobia, they should remove the lens immediately and seek urgent same-day assessment by an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
"Contact lens-related microbial keratitis is an ocular emergency."
He urged the public to avoid purchasing lenses from informal or unverified sources, including roadside stalls, night markets and online sellers, and to prioritise professional consultation and proper fitting.
"Consumers can verify product registration and licensed establishments through the MDA public search portal. Never share lenses. Never sleep in them unless specifically prescribed.
"Keep lenses away from water. If the eye becomes red, painful, sensitive to light, or blurry, stop wearing the lens immediately and seek urgent care."
He noted that sleeping in contact lenses increases the risk of infection by six to eight times and reiterated that such products should not be treated as harmless fashion items.
"MSO supports firm enforcement by the MDA, the Malaysian Optical Council, local authorities, online platforms and retailers.
"We also encourage the public to verify whether a contact lens is registered before purchase and to report suspicious or unsafe products to the authorities," he said. - March 19, 2026