Lady Gaga's Dangerous Trend

(CBS)  Lady Gaga's got style. She's a trend-setter, but one trend could be dangerous.

In her video "Bad Romance," Gaga's wearing contact lenses designed to enlarge the iris of her eye. The style is catching on with fans. However, these cosmetic lenses have a few drawbacks: they're illegal in the U.S. and they could cause severe damage to your eyesight.

CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton shared the details Tuesday morning on "The Early Show."

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Pictures: Lady Gaga's Eye-Catching Style

Ashton noted the trend began in South Korea.

"They're very popular in Asia for giving people like a doe-eyed look, making the eyes look very large, and it's because the contact lens part actually extends beyond the iris or the colored part of the eye and in doing so makes the eye look a little bit larger. Purely cosmetic."

Ashton explained these types of contact lenses are over-the-counter and are not prescribed or regulated by an eye care professional.
Ashton said infections are common.

"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."

She added, "You do not want to mess with this. And we've seen colored contact lenses become popular years and years ago go. This is kind of the newest version of that trend. Purely cosmetic when you're talking about contact lenses. You have to remember they were initially designed to treat vision problems -- not to make you look better."

"Early Show" co-anchor Chris Wragge remarked that these lenses are readily available on the internet.

Ashton said, "A lot of them are manufactured in Asia where there is no guideline or supervision over the way these are made."

So if you want to use legal decorative contact lenses, Ashton suggests using them sparingly.

"For any type of contact lens, you want to see an eye care professional," Ashton said. "You need have your eyes measured, you need to have your vision tested, you need to get a prescription, and you need to be taught how to care for them."

To all the teenagers and tweens watching "The Early Show" who say Lady Gaga looks cool, Ashton shared this advice: "(It's) not worth your vision."

[ch3ru]

This is a blatant lie now being promulgated by mass media.
Long before Lady Gaga appeared on the scene, circle lenses were already wildly popular--just not in the US. In Korea and Japan especially, these lenses simulate various aesthetics, from Ulzzang to "anime eyes."

Also, Lady Gaga WASN'T WEARING CONTACTS. Her eyes were digitally enhanced for the Bad Romance MV.

[TaylorShaliese]

The girl in the video and the picture is Michelle Phan, a YouTube makeup guru. She's not wearing lenses, she made her eyes appear larger with the aid of a computer program.

[Lou_82]

You are right & wrong... Phan did use computer manipulation but, she is also wearing circle lenses. She demonstrates putting them in at the 6:08 point of the tutorial. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHVOxhEpjp0

[amapola89]

get your facts right, i know normally americans prefer fairytales, but..please this is too much that girl is american (not chinese) and she used a program for that effect, its in youtube!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MeLu_Lang]

Fashion contact lens are not new. "Anime Eyes" are not new and the contact lens for "Anime Eyes" have been around for at least seven or eight years now. Cosplayers have access to all kinds of contact lens that are not regulated by the FDA. Even contact lens used in music videos and movies are not FDA approved. So what if Lady Gaga is using the contact lens because she's not the first nor is she the last.

One last thing to think about... Where is the proof that there has been anyone who sustained eye damage from wearing those contact lens? Even FDA approved lens can cause eye damage and improper care/use of ANY contact lens can cause eye damage. Oh and BTW - from my understanding... both Acuve and Clearvue make the lens.

[Boombox1983]

Trend setter? Lady Gaga?? LOL! She COPIES everyone! There is NOTHING original about her. She is Marilyn Manson, Madonna, David Bowie, Tori Amos and a lot of other people rolled into one. She can sing ok and plays the piano ok. She has ZERO star quality and nothing about her draws you to look at her other then her absurd outfits. Everyone has done everything Lady Gaga is doing. The sad thing is young people think this is all new, creative and original. Sad.

[cmcaudillo]

Are you honestly blind enough to think that all of this is Lady GaGa's fault? She wasn't even wearing the contacts in the video, it was computer generated. Second of all, these contacts were originally made popular by the Anime genre and it is a large part of Asian culture, you can't blame GaGa for that. People need to be held in account for their own stupid decisions, not anyone who they are trying to copy. Get your facts straight and no one will be forgetting about her too soon.. I agree with the Madonna sentiment.

[Harden_Tar]

Let's just hoope the Chinese aren't making them. Everything else they make is full of cadmium, lead, or some other poisonous substance. I agree that the only reason they are getting a bad rap in this country is that the eye doctors are getting cut out of the deal.

[needtobeheard]

First of all I'd like to say that Lady Gaga did NOT spark any trend. Circle lens have nothing to do with her. Yes, it originated in Korea and then became popular in Japan, where girls want to look like anime characters or look doll like. Honestly, look at girls with circle lens and then look at Lady Gaga and the picture here. NO CIRCLE LENSES LOOK LIKE THAT and I would say that both girls here look "crazy," not cute. I have no comment on health risks, all I have to say is if your lenses are as big as the ones shown here, it's obvious that oxygen constriction would occur. Again, REAL circle lenses do not look like that. Perhaps you are trying to get your point across but this article is biased. I don't disagree that circle lenses can cause health risks, all I am saying is get your facts straight.

[kippertoo]

It seems there are some out there that hope that this trend will not catch on, a sentiment likely shared by every generation of parent throughout modern history in regards to something their children thought was cool. Ironic, isn't it?

[avigil2]

Why is everyone trying to blame Lady Ga Ga. She wore them for the "Bad Romance" video and that's it. If blame is to be put on someone, blame the Asians. That's where this trend started anyway.