By Bruce D Hunter
Color contacts are an affordable cosmetic enhancement that were unheard of just a few short years ago. But today it is common to see people who have changed their eye color through the use of color contacts. Especially among young people, color contacts are seen as a bold fashion statement, and there are now more and more colors available and even what is known as "costume contacts" that are custom colored for theatrical and movie performances.
If you are considering the purchase of color contacts, it's vital that you educate yourself on your choices and understand the cost of these contacts and how to care for them. Visibility tints are contacts with a slight tint that will help the wearer locate them if they should slip out of place because of their small size or fall onto the floor while the wearer is trying to put them in. Enhancement contacts have a tint to them and actually change the eye color of whoever wears them. These are the type of contacts that many people think of when they hear the term "color contacts". Most of the time these are more effective for people with light-colored eyes, although people with dark eyes wear them also.
Opaque color tint lenses are for those with dark-colored eyes. This type of color contact is very distinct and has color patterns of solid colors that allow a person with dark-colored eyes to change their eye color effectively. There is a possible risk of having some of a person's field of vision blocked when these lenses are in the eye, so dark-eyed people should consult an eye doctor before buying color contacts. Light filter lenses are probably the newest type in the marketplace and have many different uses especially for athletes. They tend to enhance color and help athletes see objects such as tennis balls, even in sunlight, a lot better. It is likely that individual results vary with the athlete and the sport, but light filter lenses show promise of enhancing athletic performance.
It is no longer possible to buy color contacts without a prescription. For a period of time, color contacts were sold without prescriptions, but beginning in 2005 a prescription is required. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pushed a bill through Congress to require a prescription for color contacts after reports of physical complications and eye infections came to light. President Bush signed the bill into law in November 2005.
Anyone purchasing color contacts should consult their eye doctor if they experience any itching, redness or discomfort after inserting the lenses. Consumers should schedule a consultation with an eye doctor for these symptoms whether or not the contact lenses they have are colored.
The market for color contacts has grown as people realized that they could change the way they look with a simple, low-cost enhancement. The benefit of being able to change your look and then change back without investing a lot of money in the transformation appeals to many people.