FAQ - Color Contacts Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a prescription for color contacts?

Yes! In the United States you must have a prescription for color contacts. By law, color contacts are considered medical devices (even if only worn for cosmetic reasons), and must be prescribed by an eye care professional. Even if you have perfect vision and don’t wear contacts or glasses normally, you must get an eye exam and be fitted properly for contact lenses. By law, your eye care professional must provide you with a copy of your prescription. When purchasing contacts online or at a retail store, the merchant must validate your prescription before delivering you your contacts.

I wear regular contacts. Can I also wear color contacts?

Absolutely. Your eye doctor can recommend color contact brands that are best suited to the shape of your eyes and your prescription, and can also recommend disposable or vial lenses depending on your lifestyle.

I don’t need glasses or contacts but I want to change my eye color. Can I wear color contacts?

Yes you can, depending on what your eye doctor recommends for you. If you don’t wear contacts or glasses normally, you may be prescribed Plano lenses, or lenses without any corrective powers (written as 0.00). All color contact brands offer 0.00 powers or no vision correction, so you definitely have a wide range of choices.

How do I get a prescription for color contacts?

To get a prescription for color contacts, you must see an eye care professional such as an optometrist or ophthalmologist. You will receive an eye exam and contact lens fitting, and be provided with a written prescription for lenses. Eye exams are often covered by insurance. Typical exams cost around $50 but contact lens fitting may be an additional cost.

Can I get contact lenses using my prescription for eye glasses?

No. Eye glass prescriptions are completely different from contact lens prescriptions and require other eye measurements.

How do I read my prescription?

*From AC Lens

Here is a typical contact lens prescription:

Eye	Power (sphere)	BC	Dia	Brand
OD (Right)	-2.25	8.8	14.0	Acuvue
OS (Left)	-3.00	8.8	14.0	Acuvue

OD - Right Eye

OS - Left Eye

OU - Both Eyes

BC - Base Curve

Dia - Diameter

Toric (Astigmatism correcting) lenses will also contain two additional numbers:

Cyl - Cylinder

Axis

Bifocal contact lenses generally contain one additional number which is the add power. A special field will be given for this number.

Things to remember about your prescription:

A contact lens prescription is not the same as an eyeglass prescription. In addition to the lens power, your contact lens prescription contains several other pieces of information related to the size of the lens.

Your prescription also contains an expiration date usually two years from the date that the contact lenses were fitted.

BC (base curve) values range from about 8.0 to 9.5. The doctor fits the lens with the curvature most appropriate for your eye. Most lenses come in several different BC values. If your prescription does not contain a BC value, this is likely because your brand of lens only comes in one base curve.

BC values are a bit like clothes sizes - just because you are a BC 8.6 in one brand doesn't mean you will be in another.

If you are in a toric lens your prescription will contain two additional columns entitled cylinder and axis. These numbers related to the correction of your astigmatism.

Even the power of the lenses is generally not the same as in your eyeglass prescription. This is because:

The contact lens sits on the surface of your eye, while your eyeglasses sit about 12 mm in front of your eye
Regular soft contacts do not correct for your astigmatism, but your eye doctor will typically try to partially correct for it by changing the power of the lens.

Which color should I choose?

Ahhh. This is always the million dollar question. Basically, to decide which color to choose, start by asking yourself these questions:

Do I want my eyes to stand out, be noticeable, and make a statement?

Brands with vibrant shades that really stand out include Clearly Colors (from Coastal Contacts), Vibrant Views Colorblends, or Natural Touch Opaques with eye defining dark outer ring.

Do I want my eyes to have a more subtle, natural color?.

For most natural looking results, stick with a shade in the same color family as your natural eye color. Freshlook Colorblends are a good starting point.

Do I want to intensify the eye color I already have?

Enhancer lenses with transparent are the ones for you. Freshlook Dimensions, Acuvue 2 Enhancers, Focus SoftColors are some popular disposable brands.

However, don't forget that what looks good on a friend, may look completely different on you. Your natural coloring, complexion, hair, etc. all play a part.

Take a look at all these colored contacts in our shop

What’s the difference between enhancer and opaque lenses?

Enhancer lenses have transparent color covering the whole of the lens (even the pupil hole). Transparent pigment allows the natural color of your eye to show through. This type of lens is suited for people with light colored eyes. It intensifies the color of light eyes rather than changing the color completely. Popular enhancer lenses are Freshlook Dimensions.

Opaque lenses use a solid color pigment that masks the natural eye color. It allows a complete color change and is suitable for both dark and light eyes. Opaque lenses can turn brown eyes blue, for example. The color on these lenses look like a donut, with a ring of opaque pigment for concealing the iris and a clear area for the pupil hole. Popular opaque lenses are Freshlook Colorblends and Acuvue 2 Colors Opaques.

I have astigmatism. Can I wear color contacts?

If you have astigmatism, there are several toric colored contacts available. For disposable contacts (replaced every two weeks of daily wear), you can try Freshloook Colorblends Toric. For vial lenses (replaced yearly), there are Durasoft 2 Toric Colors, Durasoft 2 Toric for Light Eyes, Durasoft 3 Toric Colorblends, Durasoft 3 Toric Colors.

Take a look at all toric color contacts here.

What brands of colored toric lenses are available?

Disposable: Freshloook Colorblends Toric
Vial: Durasoft 2 Toric Colors, Durasoft 2 Toric for Light Eyes, Durasoft 3 Toric Colorblends, Durasoft 3 Toric Colors

Which color is best for blue or light colored eyes?

You are lucky because you have the widest range of lenses to choose from. You can wear enhancer lenses that boost or intensify the color you already have. Go bluer or greener, for example. If your natural skin tone is warm, you can get into hazel and brown or even the violet/amethyst shades.

Tip: Right now, gray is a very popular color.

I have dark eyes which color should I choose?

You need opaque lenses to get any kind of color change. To turn brown eyes blue, Natural Touch Opaques Baby Blue is very popular. If you have dark eyes with green or yellow undertones, green opaque color contacts would look good on you. Another clever and striking choice is to stick with the brown family but lighten your natural color with a lighter hazel or honey colored lens.

How long can I wear color contacts for?

This depends entirely on the type of contacts. Disposable contacts (like Acuvue 2 Colors and Freshlook) can be worn every day for two weeks before replacement. That’s wearing them during the day and then removing and cleaning them at night. Focus Monthly Softcolors can be worn for a month before replacement. Freshlook One-Day Dailies are worn once and then discarded –ideal if you’re in a situation where its difficult to clean lenses properly. Vial lenses are generally replaced every six months or yearly. Check with your eye doctor to confirm the replacement schedule for your lenses.

How long do color contacts last?

Color contacts last according to their wear and replacement schedules. Disposables are typically replaced every two weeks to 30 days depending on the brand. Vial contacts are replaced yearly. If only worn occasionally, color contacts can last longer but check with your eye doctor for advice on occasional wear.

Do I need a prescription for special effect/Halloween lenses?

Yes. Like all color and regular contacts, you need a prescription from an eye care professional for Halloween contact lenses.

Take a look at Halloween contacts here

Do special effect/Halloween contacts hurt my eyes?

Not if they are fitted properly. Like all lenses, Halloween lenses are fitted according to corrective powers, base curve, lens diameter, and other measurements. As with all color contacts, make sure that the lenses you want come in the base curve and diameter required by your prescription

Are special effect/Halloween contacts safe?

Halloween lenses purchased from reputable online merchants are FDA approved and safe to wear provided cleaned and stored properly.

How long do Halloween contacts last?

Halloween contacts are vial lenses that will last several years if only worn occasionally and are cleaned and stored properly after each use.

Can I try my friends Halloween contacts first to see if I like them?

No! Definitely do not share, try on, or swap lenses with anyone. Serious eye infections and complications can occur when lenses are shared. Look at manufacturer websites to see the lenses up close before you decide.

What if I don’t like the color I picked?

If you’ve already opened and tried your color contacts, they are not returnable to the online store. Only unopened boxes or vials that are in original condition are eligible for a store credit or refund. We recommend trying inexpensive color contacts first to see which color family you like.

How much do color contacts cost?

Prices vary. Disposables are the cheapest. For example, one box of Freshlook Colorblends, which contains six lenses per box, costs about $30 (or $5 per lens).

Freshlook One-Day Dailies, 10 lenses per box, costs about $20 (or $2 per lens)

Vial lenses are more expensive but remember they last much longer. Clearly Colors is an inexpensive vial lens that costs about $20 per lens.

Where can I buy color contacts online?

ColorMeContacts.com features several online merchants for colored contacts.

Coastal Contacts
AC Lens
DiscountContactLenses.com
Lensmart

Browse all the latest brands and colors at CoastalContacts.com.

Please note: contact lenses, even if worn for cosmetic reasons, are medical devices that should be worn under the prescription, direction, and supervision of an eye care professional.