Colored Contact Lenses GuideWant to know where to buy colored contacts? - click here In a 2002 survey sponsored by FreshLook, three-fifths of respondents said they'd be interested in changing their eye color. This is now possible, thanks to the magic of colored contact lenses. Once a rare novelty item, colored contacts are now readily available from a wide array of manufacturers. Companies like CIBA Vision, with their Freshlook Colorblends line, offer a fun variety of colored lenses. You can find colored lenses ranging from subtle to wild, and go with a slight change or a completely new eye color. A color contact lens works like any other and comes in a variety of wear options. You can find extended wear, dailies, or permanent wear, although the later is not as cost effective if you want to frequently change your eye color. How to Choose a Color To create a dramatic change in appearance, it's important to choose a color that contrasts with the rest of one's appearance. For example, a person with brown eyes might choose green, blue, or violet lenses. Brown lenses stand out sharply against light skin, while blue and green lenses stand out against darker skin. It's also a good idea to remember which colors of eye makeup the wearer favors, and to choose tints that offset those cosmetics. Ciba Vision offers an excellent chart at the following URL which will help you choose a color that is right for you: http://www.cibavision.com/for_your_eyes/ Understanding Tints There are four distinct categories of colored contact lenses. First, some contact lenses have a pale blue or green tint to assist in putting the lenses in and taking them out again. Because the color is so light, the wearer's actual iris color is not affected. This is called a visibility tint. Enhancement tints are more richly colored than visibility tints, so of course the wearer's iris will appear more intense than its usual color. These lenses are especially effective for people with lighter-hued eyes. For a more bold change, try a color tint. Rather than enhance the wearer's usual eye color, these opaque lenses change the apparent hue completely. Only the area directly covering the wearer's pupil is transparent. Many color tints employ patterns of solid colors; some include flecks of color to mimic the eye's natural coloration. Color tints enable truly dramatic changes from the wearer's usual look, creating vivid brown eyes, sparkling blue, soulful green, or mesmerizing violet. There are even so-called "costume lenses," originally designed for film and theatre to create a non-human look. The fourth category of colored lenses is the most recent. Light-filtering lenses are designed to enhance the wearer's natural vision. For example, some tennis players wear lenses that cause the ball's yellow shade to "pop" while diminishing surrounding colors. Disadvantages of Colored Contacts Some users may experience slight disadvantages to colored contact lenses. Eye movement may cause imperfect alignment of the lens, and vision may be somewhat affected due to pupil overlap in dim lighting conditions. Never share contact lenses, colored or otherwise, with another person. Four types of colored contact lenses create an enhanced appearance--and may improve the wearer's tennis game! Brands Colored contact lenses are no longer just for people with light eye colors, either. Even if you have naturally dark eyes, you'll be able to find lenses that offer a refreshing and exciting change in eye color. In addition to their FreshLook Colorblends brand, Ciba offers lines of colored contacts for just about any eye color and prescription combination out there. And that is just one lens manufacturer - other brands, such as Acuvue, Biomedics, and Coopervision also offer lines of fun and unusual colored lenses. With so many choices, you be able to find the exact tint that you are looking for. Where to find colored contacts? Just about any shop that sells contact lenses should have a selection of colors available in your prescription. Your local eye center is a good place to start your search. However, if you know your prescription or can get a copy of it from your doctor, the best place by far to find colored lenses - or any contact lenses, for that matter - is online. There are numerous retailers on the web, and ordering contacts online couldn't be any easier. We recommend: The best online retailers store your prescription information, and even send you an email reminder to let you know that your supply of disposables is probably running low. And, with a surprisingly quick turnaround time, you'll never have to wait more than a few days for your new contacts to arrive in the mail - usually along with a complimentary contact case. Once you try them, you may become very fond of colored contacts. It is now possible to change your eye color to match your mood, your outfit, or any occasion whatsoever. Choose wild lenses for costume parties, or go with subtle color enhancers to accentuate the normal color of your eyes. The possibilities are endless. And, given the ease of Internet shopping and ordering, it is a simple matter of a few mouse clicks to try out a new look. Even if your vision is perfect, you will be interested in colored lenses. Related Articles |
Important Note Learn more about buying colored contact lenses without a prescription Iif you do have a prescription, then find out why we recommend shopping with Coastal Contacts. |