Your eyes say a lot about you, and changing their color can make a dramatic difference in the way you look. Perhaps you’ve wished for sparkling green, but were born with blue. Or maybe you want to add a freaky touch to your costume party getup with a blank white gaze that makes people shudder. Whatever end result you desire, it’s easy to add pizzazz to your peepers with colored contact lenses.

What types of colored contacts can I choose?

If you’re an avid athlete – or just a big sports fan – you’ll love the light-filtering tinted contacts especially developed for sports use. These lenses are designed to make certain colors (tennis-ball green, for example) stand out by muting background colors. There are currently several available varieties geared toward different sports.

If you’re looking for a dramatic change (don’t it make your brown eyes blue?) then color tints are the way to go. These are opaque tints that completely cover up your natural eye color, resulting in a complete change. Many manufacturers make these contacts in one variety especially for dark eyes, and one for light eyes – so before you buy, make sure you’re getting the right variety for your shade.

Also dramatic are costume or theatrical lenses. As the name implies, these lenses are a bit on the wild side and can transform your eyes into those of a cat, a demon, an alien … pretty much anything you can imagine. But who says your eyes have to look like eyes? There is a huge assortment of choices, right down to eight balls and dollar signs.

If you’re happy with your current eye color but wish for a little more intensity, you’ll want to choose an enhancement tint. These lenses are translucent and designed to enhance the natural color of your eyes; if it’s a bluer blue or a warmer brown you’re after, these are the contacts for you.

Do I need a prescription for colored contacts?

Yes, if your lenses are going to be used for vision correction – you’d get a prescription just as you would for “normal,” clear contacts. If you’re using them solely for aesthetic purposes, not for corrective vision (nonprescription lenses are called “plano” lenses) the laws vary from state to state. Regardless of whether or not your colored contacts require a prescription, it’s still a good idea to buy them from an optometrist or reputable contact lens company. Some unfortunate buyers of over-the-counter and flea-market contacts have been the victims of eye problems resulting from poor labeling and improper fitting. You’ll need a regular consultation with an eye doctor to ensure you’re getting safe lenses, a proper fit, and appropriate care and cleaning instructions.

Choosing a color …

Your choice of color will largely depend on how often you’ll be wearing your lenses – you may want a more natural color if you’ll be wearing them daily, and a more striking look if they’re for a special occasion – and what effect you’re going for. If you want a natural look, choose a lens that either enhances your current eye color or one that coordinates with your natural eye, hair, and skin tones. For example, if you’re naturally a fair-skinned, blue-eyed blonde, dark brown contacts may not be the best look for you. Try a deeper blue or green. Conversely, if you’re dark eyed, changing to a lighter hue won’t be advisable if you’re trying to be subtle. But if you want to stand out and make a more noticeable change, go for a shade that is much different than your natural color. Or choose an eye color that doesn’t normally occur in nature, such as violet. Also keep in mind the colors of makeup that you usually wear and choose a shade that will stand out from those colors.

With the vast array of available colors and styles and the relative affordability of such lenses, changing your eye color is as easy as changing your shoes. See the world through a different color!