March 31, 2019

Whether you dislike the natural color of your eyes or you simply fancy a temporary change for fun or a specific event such as Halloween or another special occasion, colored contacts are a simple and cost-effective way to dramatically change your look. Nevertheless, many patients have some concerns about the safety of wearing colored contact lenses – and with good reason. Unfortunately, there are countless people who sell colored contact lenses on online market platforms and in physical discount stores, and when it comes to these lenses, there is no way of knowing how safe they are. The materials that they have been created from, and whether or not they will affect your vision, is unclear. For this reason, patients need a contact lens prescription to purchase colored contacts legally in the U.S, even for those contacts that are worn purely for cosmetic purposes.

To help you get a better understanding of colored contact lenses here is everything that you need to know about them.

Prescription or plain?

If you usually rely on prescription contact lenses to see clearly, you will need to choose colored lenses that are also prescription, otherwise, your vision will be compromised. However, if you usually wear glasses and still wish for your eye color to be changed, or if you don’t need prescription eyewear, you can choose colored contacts that have no corrective powers and are worn purely for cosmetic reasons.

Types of tint

Many people are surprised to learn that it is possible to determine how significantly your eye color is changed through the type of tint that you choose. While there are three different types of tint, only two will actually have an impact on your eye color.

Visibility tints are normally light green or blue and are added to make it easier to see and handle the lenses. They have absolutely no impact on the color of your iris.

Enhancement tints are a little darker and designed to enhance the natural color of your eyes. They tend to be chosen by patients who have very light-colored eyes and who wish to make them brighter and more noticeable. Often people with enhancement tints are said to have an eye color that ‘pops’, such is the intensity they can create.

Opaque tints are the type of tint you need to choose if you wish to completely change your eye color, such as from blue to brown.

Sports tint contacts

Although many people choose colored contacts for purely cosmetic reasons, tinted contacts are regularly sought-after by professional sportsmen and women to help enhance their visual performance. This is because some types of sports tint can reduce glare, improve depth perception and contrast sensitivity so that the wearer can enjoy superior quality vision that could benefit their performance.

What color contacts can I choose from?

There are many different shades that patients who choose colored contacts can choose from, ranging from blues and greens to grays and browns. In recent years, shades of purple have also become very popular. Some contact lens manufacturers even often a custom-tinting service which enables you to have completely unique colored-eyes.

Are colored contact lenses safe?

Color contacts should be completely safe – provided that you get them from a reputable provider and that they are properly prescribed, worn and cared for. You must give your colored contacts the same treatment as conventional contact lenses and follow your provider’s instructions regarding how long you can wear them for and how often they should be replaced.

We strongly recommend that if you are considering colored contact lenses, you obtain them from a licensed, professional optometrist’s office. If you would like to find out more about colored contact lenses, or if you would like to arrange a consultation to determine your suitability for this type of eyewear, please don’t hesitate to contact our offices.