Updated on May 20, 2021. Reviewed by Chris Day (Optician) and Dr. Justin Asgarpour (Optometrist).
Want to bring more spark into your eyes? Wearing colored contact lenses is like trying a new hairstyle, it can totally change your look. Though unlike hair, you can remove them whenever you want…
Colored lenses can be either a way to switch up your usual eye color or they can be your signature statement. You don’t need to wear a lot of flashy jewelry or makeup if you turn your eyes into your hallmark accessory!
Willing to try but haven’t made up your mind yet? Let us clarify the subject for you! We’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions about colored contact lenses.
Are colored contacts safe?
Your eyes’ health and safety are important. Colored contact lenses are medical devices. For this reason, a contact lens fitting is recommended by eye care professionals to help you find an option that suits your eyes and preserves your eye health—regardless of whether you’re using your contacts for correction or only cosmetic appeal, a fitting is necessary.
Like regular contacts, you need to keep safe habits in order to protect your eyes. As long as you maintain proper lens care and follow the instructions provided by your eye care professional, it’s safe to wear colored contacts. Consult your eye care professional to find out if colored contacts are right for you.
If you’re not familiar with wearing contacts, make sure to learn how to put contacts in properly. Also note that in general, colored contact lenses are made of materials that don’t allow as much oxygen to the cornea. For this reason, it is important to select a color contact lens that suits your wearing schedule.
Some colored contacts such as Air Optix Colors, however, offer a far superior oxygen penetration than most customers brands. Discuss with your eye doctor to decide which brand will guarantee maximum comfort and eye safety!
Do I need a prescription to wear colored contact lenses?
A prescription to wear colored contacts is suggested by eye care professionals. It’s important to remember that even if you have perfect vision and just want to add a little splash of color to your eyes – it’s still a medical device. And it’s still going right on top of your cornea, which needs oxygen.
When you place a contact lens on your cornea, its oxygen supply is decreased. A contact lens prescription does not just denote the corrective power in the lens, it specifies the correct size of the contact lens required for your eye, brand and material of the lens.
While many people think of their ‘prescription’ as the POWER of their lenses and that’s for the most part true for glasses, your prescription for contact lenses also indicates that your contacts fit well and won’t put your eyes at risk.
You can easily buy colored contacts online based on your prescription. And if you have received a prescription for a brand of colored lenses, you can purchase any of the colors available and know for sure that the lenses will be a good fit. Your eye doctor takes care of the brand and you take care of the color – feel free to experiment!
How do colored contact lenses work?
Colored contact lenses are designed with a clear area in the middle that lines up perfectly with your pupil. This is what allows light to travel through and let you see.
A fitting for a colored contact lens will make sure your pupil is centered properly with that hole in the lens. If it’s not, your vision can be affected, especially at night when your pupil gets bigger and may extend into the colored area of the lens.
What are the different types of colored contacts?
First of all, according to your vision requirements, you could choose between:
i. Non-corrective if you don’t require any vision correction and you want to wear contacts of colors for aesthetic purposes only.
ii. Prescription colored contacts if you need vision correction and want to try new eye tints!
Then, you have a choice between different categories of colors, tints, and features:
i. Enhancement tints: Contacts that enhance your natural eye color for a more subtle change. For natural look contacts, take a look at Air Optix Colors, Dailies Colors, FreshLook Colorblends or Acuvue Define Vivid.
ii. Vivid tints: brighter colors that will attract all eyes on you! Available in a large range of colors. Example: Air Optix Colors (available in both subtle and vibrant lines within the color range).
iii. “Circle” lenses (also called “doll’s eye” or “Limbal rings” lenses): New varieties of colored lenses meant to make your eyes look bigger. They have a dark colored ring around the outer edge of the lens.
