Colored contacts are favorites with teens, boys and girls alike. Even dark brown eyes can be changed to lighter shades of blue, green and honey. Some of the newest colors actually blend three colors together to enhance the natural looking color-changing effect. Light eyes can be darkened or masked to look violet.
For Halloween, contacts are available to completely change the look of the eye—styles range from cat eyes and alien eyes to all red or black—even geometric patterns! Colored contacts are available with or without visual correction. Even if your vision is perfect, you will still need a professional eye exam to wear contacts. The health of your eye and the size of the contact lens must all be assessed prior to wearing colored contacts. Most colored contacts are also disposable and are reasonably priced.
It’s common for teens to swap colored contacts with their friends. This should never be done. Contact lenses are medical devices and are fit for each individual’s eye size and shape. Swapping lenses can lead to eye infections or damage to the lens, which in turn can damage the eye. A torn or damaged contact lens should never be inserted into the eye.
No More Glasses?
Even if your teen can successfully wear contact lenses, they should always have a back-up pair of glasses on hand in case of emergencies. Contacts can fall out, rip or collect debris, causing eye irritation. A teen with a spare pair of glasses is less likely to wear a damaged lens, which can cause injury to the eye. Glasses will also be necessary in the case of an eye irritation or infection. An inexpensive way to do this is to only have the lenses replaced in your teen’s old frame, saving the cost of the new frame.
It’s also a good idea to keep a spare contact case and bottle of solution in a school locker or backpack, just in case the lenses need to be removed away from home. Trial sizes can be obtained from your optometrist’s office, or in the travel section of the supermarket.