Are colored contacts safe?

A new pop of color in your eyes can be a fun way to change up your look on a daily basis or to add new impact to a costume. They change the color of your eyes. Some even reshape your pupils to give them a cartoonish appearance. Colored contacts are completely safe when prescribed and fitted by your eye doctor.

However, illegal and dangerous contact lenses are sold online and in some stores. These lenses can cause permanent vision loss and harm your eyes. Learn how to get safe, prescribed, vibrantly colored contact lenses to protect your vision and make your eyes look beautiful.

• Are colored contacts safe?

Contact lenses are classified as medical devices by the FDA. Prescription colored contacts are completely safe. Wearing FDA-approved colored contact lenses prescribed and fitted by your optometrist is completely safe.

An optometrist or ophthalmologist will examine your eyes to determine whether you are a good candidate for contact lenses. They will then try some contact lenses on you to ensure proper fit before writing a prescription based on your eye measurements. Correctly fitted lenses reduce your risk of eye injury or damage.

Even if your vision does not require correction, you can wear colored contact lenses. However, you will still require a prescription.

They're just as safe as regular contact lenses as long as you follow basic hygiene precautions when inserting, removing, replacing, and storing your contacts. Clean hands, new contact solution, and a new contact lens case every three months.

Even experienced contact lens wearers, on occasion, take risks with their lenses. According to one study, more than 80% of contact lens wearers cut corners in their contact lens hygiene routines, such as not replacing their lenses on a regular basis, napping in them, or not seeing their eye doctor on a regular basis. Check to see if you're putting yourself at risk of infection or eye damage by handling your contacts incorrectly.

• Are colored contacts legal?

You can safely change your eye color with a stunning new pair of colored contacts if you have a contact lens prescription and a fitting from your eye doctor.

Some online retailers, as well as some gas stations and salons, sell hazardous, illegal colored contact lenses. In the United States, it is illegal to sell these lenses. They are not FDA-approved and can cause serious eye damage within hours.

Because your eye is unique in shape, these one-size lenses will not fit properly. This is not the same as wearing the wrong shoe size. Contact lenses that do not fit properly can scratch your cornea, potentially leading to keratitis (a corneal ulcer). Keratitis can cause permanent vision damage, including blindness.

And, while costume contact lenses may appear impressive on Halloween, the paints used in these illegal contacts may allow less oxygen into your eye. According to one study, some decorative contact lenses contained chlorine and had a rough surface that caused eye irritation.

Nonprescription colored contact lenses are not one-size-fits-all, despite what the package claims. Ill-fitting lenses can scrape the cornea, the outer layer of your eye. As a result, corneal abrasion and scarring may occur. The dye and printed pattern on the inner surface of the lenses can also create an uneven surface. This can also irritate your eyes.

• Why are some colored contacts illegal?

Contact lenses are considered a medical device and must be well-fitted. To get a comfortable, safe contact lens fit, an optometrist must measure your eye—from the curve of your cornea to the size of your iris and pupil, as well as the health of your eye.

At the same time, some decorative contacts are more rigid, thicker, and less breathable than regular lenses. Infections become more likely as a result. Bacteria and other microorganisms that become trapped beneath your contact lenses can cause corneal ulcers. This can also result in keratitis, a serious eye infection.

Different chemicals are used by contact lens manufacturers to tint color-changing lenses. Some of these chemicals have the potential to harm or irritate your eyes.

• So, how to wear colored contacts safely?

Begin by seeing your eye doctor for an exam and prescription. If you wear corrective contact lenses or are interested in noncorrective lenses, follow the same rules.

Purchase your color contact lenses from a reputable store. Choose FDA-approved color lenses from a reputable manufacturer or from your eye doctor's office. Only do business with vendors who require a prescription. Avoid purchasing contact lenses from beauty stores, costume stores, or street vendors.

Take proper care of your contacts. Follow your eye doctor's instructions for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, and wearing colored lenses. You should not use tap water or your own spit. Remember to wash your hands before handling your contact lenses.

Call your eye doctor right away if you experience discomfort, redness, eye pain, or blurred vision.