Buyer’s Guide to Colored Contact Lenses: Pros & Cons, Costs, Most Popular Colored Contacts

Color contacts have dye incorporated into the lens material. This dye gives the lens a certain color, the opacity of which will depend on the type of tint that the lens has.

Manufacturers may also call prescription colored contacts cosmetic, novelty, special effect, or Halloween lenses, or costume contact lenses. No matter the name, colored contacts are still considered medical devices, even if they don’t correct vision. Therefore, they must be properly fitted and prescribed by an eye care professional (ECP).

Colored contacts come in three tints, namely:

• Opaque – Opaque-tinted contact lenses are solid and non-transparent. Therefore, they can change your natural eye color completely. Opaque-tint contacts work best for people with dark eyes who want to try a lighter eye color, such as blue, green, or hazel. Theatrical or Halloween lenses typically have opaque tints, which makes them great for bringing costumes to life, including dramatic styles like white out contacts.
• Enhancement – As the name suggests, colored contacts with enhancement tints enhance your natural eye color. They’re best suited for people with light-colored eyes who want to make their natural eye color appear brighter and more stunning. If you have blue eyes, for example, wearing blue enhancement-tinted contacts will make your eyes appear bluer. But if you have brown eyes, these contacts won’t make your eyes blue. Wearing brown contact lenses for brown eyes will make them darker or enhance their color.
• Visibility – Visibility-tinted contacts are only lightly tinted, meaning they won’t enhance or alter your natural eye color. The tint is only there to help you spot the contacts in your contact lens case for easier handling during insertion or removal.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Colored Contact Lenses?

Like any other contacts, these cosmetic contact lenses have their pros and cons. If you’re thinking of trying colored contact lenses for sale, it’s important to discuss these with your ECP so they can better determine the right colored contacts for you.

If you prefer a softer, natural-looking color change, go for natural colored contacts. Korean contact lenses may also be worth comparing with other colored lens styles. They are often chosen for subtle enhancement, but they still require a valid color contact lenses prescription and proper fit like any other contact lens.

Pros:

• Aesthetic enhancement – Colored contacts are a fun way to subtly enhance or completely transform your natural eye color. They give you room to be creative and achieve a look that suits you.
• Comfortable – Colored contacts are typically made of soft lens materials, such as hydrogels and silicone hydrogels. These materials are known for being hydrophilic (water-loving) and breathable — characteristics that ensure a comfortable wearing experience.
• Available in different prescription strengths – Like regular contacts, colored contacts come in different prescription strengths to help you see clearly. They’re also available with zero power for people who don’t need vision correction. Green contact lenses, for example, come in plano options.
• Available in different modalities – Colored contacts come in different modalities to suit different lifestyles. Opt for daily disposable colored contacts if you want to enjoy that “new lens” feeling every day and bi-weekly or monthly colored contacts if you need a more flexible wearing or replacement schedule.

Cons:

• Cost – Colored contacts are more expensive than regular or standard contacts for many reasons. First, there are additional development costs involved in producing colored contacts. Second, lens manufacturers have to determine the most popular colors and develop special methods to apply tints to the lenses so that they look natural on the eye. The tinting process itself also increases manufacturing costs.
• May require trial-and-error – Colored contacts don’t always give the desired result. Depending on the effect you’re going for, it may take trial-and-error to find the colored contacts that suit you best.
• May irritate your eyes – Some of the more dramatic options for colored contacts, such as black sclera contacts, may irritate your eyes and even obstruct your vision.

How Much Are Colored Contact Lenses?

Color contact lenses online typically retail for $65 to $95 per box of six lenses, with each box lasting six months. If you replace your contacts every month, expect an annual lens cost of $260 to $380. The actual figure may be lower or higher depending on how frequently you replace your contacts.

What Are the Most Popular Colored Contact Lenses on Lens.com?

There’s no better place to shop for good colored contacts than Lens.com. We have a wide selection of the best colored contacts for dark eyes, light-colored eyes, and everything in between available. Whether you’re looking to only subtly change the appearance of your eyes or transform it completely, there’s a colored contact lens for you.

Here are three of the most popular colored contact lenses on Lens.com.