Thanks to the amazing and rapidly evolving contact lens technology, contact lenses have been used for decades as a solution for shortsightedness and longsightedness. Of course, it also paved the way for people to wear contact lenses for fun, so that you can now change the color of your eyes, either subtly or dramatically.

So what are color contact lenses? Just like contact lenses that are designed for vision correction, colored contact lenses are made of moist, flexible silicone and are available as either prescription or non prescription lenses.

The lenses are placed on the surface of the eye and rest on the tear film layer of the cornea, helping the lens to move with the eye naturally so that you have a full field of vision whilst wearing them.

Being so easy to use and with an amazing effect, color contact lenses are becoming more and more popular to wear, especially with celebrities such as Kanye West, Selena Gomez and Mila Kunis wearing them to red carpet events.

It doesn’t need to be Halloween for you to wear color contacts, in fact they make the perfect accessory for parties, nights out, festivals and date night.

Of course, with contact lenses being eye accessories there’s a big responsibility to ensure you wear them safely and even if you’re not a first time contact lens wearer, you should read on for our tips on how to wear your colored contact lenses with peace of mind.

The Color Contact Lenses Safety Guide

 

Only buy FDA approved lenses

This is the first and most golden rule of wearing contact lenses, as unregulated retailers and unapproved lenses can be very dangerous. The material they are made with, the solution and cleanliness of the contacts are all issues that you could face when buying contacts from sources that haven’t been FDA approved.

Buying and wearing lenses that haven’t been FDA approved could lead to eye infections and can even cause blindness in serious cases.

Crazy Lenses are certified as safe and are FDA approved. Read our beginner’s guide to color contacts for more information on the FDA.

 

Never wear colored contacts for longer than their lifespan

Color contacts are available in either daily disposables, 90 day and even 1 year varieties, so if you want to change up your look, it can be for as little or long as you like!

It’s very important that you note which lifespan your contact lenses are and to never exceed this. Dailies can only be worn once and must be disposed off immediately after you’ve worn them.

 

Don’t sleep in your lenses

If you’re wearing your lenses on a night out, always remember to take them out before you go to sleep. Be extra careful if you have been drinking alcohol as the likelihood of you accidentally sleeping your contacts can dramatically increase.

 

Don’t shower whilst wearing your lenses

Contact lenses and showers do not mix well. Rubbing your eyes when wet can cause the lenses to move, so they can potentially get trapped under your eyelid. Fishing them out isn’t much fun but you also risk getting an eye infection - easily avoidable if you remove your lenses before showering.

You should also avoid going in swimming pools or in the sea if you’re wearing color contacts.

 

Never rinse lenses in tap water

Never ever rinse your color contacts in tap water or anything other than your contact lens solution.

There are millions of tiny microorganisms found in tap water and if these get onto your contact lenses or trapped under them, they can cause sight-threatening eye infections.

Luckily with daily disposable lenses you don’t have to worry about this, as you will throw them away immediately after use, but if you’re using 90 day lenses be sure to use your contact lens solution as instructed on the packet.

 

Always wash hands properly before handling your colored contact lenses

To avoid transferring dirt or dust into your eyes or getting anything trapped on your lenses, make sure to wash your hands every time you handle your color contacts. Use antibacterial soap if possible and dry your hands with a lint-free towel. Avoid using oil, lotion-based soaps or hand cream, which can cloud or soil your lenses.

 

Interview With An Optician

We might be called Crazy Lenses, but that only applies to the range of weird and wonderful contact lenses that we have! We are really big on safety as this is so important when wearing color contacts so we did an interview with a leading Optician who has these top tips for wearing your lenses.

 

What are the most common mistakes people make wearing colored contact lenses?

Hygiene is the biggest issue as a lot of people don’t look after their colored contacts properly.

With daily disposables, the main problem is that people don’t throw them away after use and try to wear them again. This can lead to serious eye infections with a potential of causing blindness.

When using 30/90 days you have to use the correct solution to keep your colored contacts in and use contact lens cleaner after every use. Don’t ever rinse your lenses in water or saliva and always use the correct solution as recommended by your optometrist.

One common problem is that people never clean their contact lens cases, so they end up full of congealed bacteria.

Using fresh solution to clean your color contacts isn’t enough for proper, hygienic care. You must always clean the case thoroughly and let it air dry (rather than pat or towel drying them)

 

Do you need to visit an optician for colored contact lenses?

Yes, you should always visit an optician who can help to fit them and advise you on how to wear them.

Never buy color contacts from a backstreet shop, joke shop or unregulated website. These outlets give you no aftercare or service!

 

How long you can wear lenses for?

When wearing contact lenses you need to build up your ‘adaptation time’. This is like breaking in new shoes, as you need to get your eyes used to wearing color contacts for a couple of hours at a time before wearing them for longer.

Keeping them in for too long can lead to overwear syndrome. This is most common when people sleep in the color contacts by accident but can also happen after wearing them all day. Symptoms of overwear syndrome include sore, red eyes and itchiness.

 

Can I use make-up with my lenses?

Yes you can, but make sure you put your lenses in before you begin to apply your make-up. This will avoid contaminating them with residue from foundation, powders or any small dust particles that could still be on your fingers.

 

Can I use glitter when wearing color contact lenses?

As with make-up, glitter can easily get onto your lenses and contaminate them so always put your contact lenses in before using glitter and wash your hands thoroughly after applying it. If you find that your hands get covered in glitter throughout your evening, make sure to wash your hands as you could accidentally rub glitter into your eyes.

 

Do you have any questions regarding your color contact lenses? We’re always on hand to answer any of your queries! Remember you can and should always speak to your optician if you have any concerns or need help with wearing your contacts.

With these simple tips, wearing color contact lenses can be fun, fashion-forward and most importantly, completely safe.