Contact Lens Prescriptions Are Not Red Tape—They’re Protecting Your Health
Many young women living in Taipei will probably complain about this, because yesterday Taipei’s Health Department announced an important policy: starting now, anyone purchasing contact lenses must have a prescription from a qualified physician.
If this policy proves effective, it may eventually be implemented nationwide across Taiwan.
Of course, eyeglass retailers will also complain loudly, as one of their most profitable products will now be strictly regulated.
The Legal Reality
Contact lenses have actually been classified as medical devices in Taiwan since 1975. Let me repeat this clearly for everyone:
“Contact lenses are not toys.”
Under pharmaceutical law, any business selling medical devices must hold a pharmaceutical license. In December 2011, the Pharmacist Act was amended to clarify that pharmacies can sell certain categories of medical devices without requiring separate pharmaceutical sales permits, though they must still comply with all pharmaceutical regulations for medical device dealers.
The Fashion Trap
Many teenage girls pursue the media-hyped and celebrity-driven trends of “corneal enlargement lenses” and “color-changing lenses” (some boys chase these strange fashions too). While these products may seem novel and attractive, they act like drugs—not only do they create psychological addiction (feeling unable to leave home without wearing them), but they also damage your eyes.
I actually have a box of corneal enlargement lenses in my drawer right now—they belong to my girlfriend. I keep telling her to stop wearing them, but like most teenage girls, she ignores me. (So I have some personal interest in supporting this new regulation.)
The Ugly Truth About “Enlargement” Lenses
Girls don’t realize that when boys look at you wearing these lenses, they don’t think you look beautiful—they think you look strange. Everyone has seen the alien ET, right?
When girls look in the mirror, they concentrate their focus intensely on their own eyes, which appear shiny and bright. But when you step back and view yourself from others’ perspective—from across a room—the overall proportion of your face looks distinctly odd.
The Physical Damage
The deeper problem is that corneal enlargement and color-changing lenses directly contact the conjunctiva—one of the most delicate tissues in the human body. Prolonged lens wear causes cumulative, microscopic damage to your eye structure.
Even tiny injuries accumulate over time into serious harm. You might not notice it now, but it’s only a matter of time before the damage becomes apparent.
Government Responsibility
For many years, the government failed to properly manage this area—a significant oversight. However, when the government now announces plans to strengthen professional oversight of this industry, I support this action completely.
This is not red tape. This is protecting ignorant citizens—especially young people whose physical and psychological development is still maturing. Protecting their future eye health is an adult responsibility.
A Call for Reason
Perhaps young people don’t understand the potential damage contact lenses can cause. But I ask the Taiwan community: offer less criticism and more support for professional expertise.
(I generally lean conservative politically.)
Official Clarification
The following is excerpted from Central News Agency: “Contact Lens Prescriptions: Not a New Rule”
The Taipei Health Department yesterday decided to enforce the requirement that contact lens purchases must include a valid physician’s prescription issued within the previous six months. This regulation has sparked considerable public backlash.
Dr. Zhu Yuqian, Deputy Director of the FDA’s Department of Medical Devices, clarified that this regulation dates back to 1975 (ROC year 64). The regulation was officially announced: “Contact lens purchases require physician prescriptions.”
The law has existed for decades, but consumers can still purchase any prescription strength at eyeglass stores and cosmetics shops without prescriptions. She emphasized that all contact lenses—daily disposables, enlargement lenses, color-changing lenses, extended-wear lenses—require physician prescriptions.
The public lacks sufficient awareness of these regulations combined with changing social conditions have made enforcement difficult. Since contact lenses directly contact the cornea, improper use can cause injury and infection, with severe cases potentially resulting in blindness. Most users are young people. To enforce existing regulations, the FDA supports Taipei’s Health Department enforcement efforts and plans strengthened public education, with possible future investigation campaigns.