Colored contact lenses: What you need to know

Normally worn by people who want to correct their eyesight, contact lenses now have a fun new twist: colored contact lenses.

What are colored contact lenses?

Colored contact lenses enhance your eyes by changing it's color or size. A darker and larger outer ring (limbal ring) is often used to define the eye and make it look larger. Inside the limbal ring, manufacturers use different colors and patterns to enhance the iris. The center of the lens is clear to allow normal vision.

Colored contact lenses are available for both people with perfect vision and those who need vision correction.

Choosing a color

Contact lens color is mostly a personal preference, but like good makeup, a good colored contact lens for daily use is one that looks natural.

A natural-looking lens like the Acuvue Define will subtly make your eyes bigger and more defined while looking natural, and generally complements daily makeup more.

A bolder choice like the Freshlook One-Day Color can give completely change how you look, but might be harder to pull off. Still, it can be really fun for a date night or party!

One last point to note is that the darker your eyes, the less pronounced the effect may be. Other than that, have fun and just try different lenses! This is where daily lenses really shine, and we'll talk about them below.

Daily or monthly colored contact lenses?

We get asked this a lot, and we can almost always say: dailies. First off, colored contacts are supposed to be fun! Feel like grey today, Radiant Chic tomorrow? Or maybe you want something over-the-top for a party. With daily contacts, you can buy several different colors, and just wear the color you want when you want it. No hassle, no danger.

With monthly colored lenses, you are more or less tied to one color. It doesn't matter if you wear this particular color once a month or everyday, you have to throw it out at the end of the month. This means having several colors can be very expensive. And also hard to keep track of which is expiring.

Lastly, daily lenses are just so much safer. A fresh pair every day prevents a lot of issues, which we highlight below.

Are colored contact lenses safe?

First of all, always see an eye doctor before wearing colored contact lenses. Even if you have perfect vision, an eye doctor will be able to recommend contact lenses that fit your eyes properly and are reputable. We have seen so many cases, from teens having their cornea ripped out, getting an infection and needing years of treatment and a cornea transplant, to going blind in one eye.

Always go for a reputable brand when choosing your contact lenses. Colored contact lenses contain color pigments, and that means that for many brands, the lens will be thicker and oxygen transmission will be poorer. This could lead to discomfort over long periods or even damage to the cornea. This is one of the reasons why some people say you can only wear contact lenses for a limited number of years, and not for life. That is utterly false for a good quality lens.

Established brands like Acuvue will test their lenses to ensure they have the same oxygen transmissibility as their medical range. This means you can wear them safely everyday, for life.

Finally, if you are going to wear makeup with your contact lenses, there are some important tips to take note of. It is quite a lot to talk about, so we have decided to shift this to another blog post, which we will write within the next few days.

Colored contact lenses are here to stay

Colored contact lenses are now one of the most important tools in a girl's makeup bag. It's amazing how much of a difference they can make! As long as you respect it as a medical device, and buy only reputable brands from reputable sellers (like us!), there is no reason not to include them in your daily look. Have fun, and stay safe!