The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Federal Minister of Health, Canada.
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OTTAWA—Canada has passed a regulation that will require the same medical-device safety standards for cosmetic contact lenses as are already required for prescription contact lenses. Announced on July 29, 2015, by Health Canada’s Federal Minister of Health, the Honourable Rona Ambrose, the new regulations will go into effect July 16, 2016.

As medical devices, cosmetic contact lenses will be subject to specific requirements for licensing, manufacturing, labeling and instructions to improve their safety before they go on the market. The proposed changes to the medical device regulations were published in Canada Gazette I on Oct. 18, 2014, for consultation. Comments were overwhelmingly in support of the new regulations, particularly from vision care professional groups, according to an announcement by the Federal Minister of Health.

“Our Government is taking action to protect Canadians from potentially serious and permanent harm to their eyes,” Ambrose said. “I am very pleased with the broad support from vision care professionals and the public for these new regulations.”

New Health Canada guidance will advise Canadians that the safety of cosmetic contact lenses depends on proper use and to seek advice from an eyecare professional as to the proper use of these products.

Dr. Allan Slomovic, MSc, MD, FRCS(C), president, Canadian Ophthalmological Society, said, “We’re delighted to see these new regulations are moving ahead. Health Canada’s landmark report, ‘Human Health Risk Assessment of Cosmetic Contact Lens’  concluded that there is no difference between how cosmetic contact lenses and corrective contact lenses are inserted and interact with the eye and should be regulated the same.”