What are Special Effect Contact Lenses?
Special effect contact lenses can change your eye color but lenses are also available for theatrical, novelty or costume applications. You've probably seen such lenses in movies, music videos and in theatre productions. These contact lenses can be worn whether you normally wear contacts or don't need vision correction.
So who uses special effect contact lenses? Most people wear these fun lenses at Halloween or for special theatre productions. Unless you need them to get in character for a part you are playing they are really just for fun and effect. You can choose lenses to suit any Halloween outfit and they may just be the trick that transforms an ordinary costume into something memorable or special. Special effects contacts usually need a prescription from an eye doctor (check with the laws in your state).
The two main brands of special effect contact lenses are 'WildEyes' from CIBA Vision and 'Crazy Lenses' from Coopervision. Other brands are also available.
The WildEyes range includes designs such as:
* Jaguar: metallic teal with a vertical black pupil
* Zebra: an zebra print
* Black-out: a black eye color to black
* White-out: change your eye color to white
* Cat Eye: yellow eyes, with a vertical black pupil
* Wildfire: yellow flames around your pupil on a red background
* Red Hot: a red eye color
* Icefire: electric blue special effect contact lenses with a white ice crystal
* Hypnotica: black with a white spiral
* Knockout: white with a black X
* Zoomin': a blue pinwheel on a black background
* Alien: green with a black spaceship
The Crazy Lenses special effect contact lenses include designs such as:
* Cat Eye: yellow, with a vertical black pupil
* Red Spiral: red with a white spiral
* Wolf: yellow around the pupil, with a black ring
* White: special effect contact lenses that change your eye color to white
* Black Spiral: black with a white spiral
* Fire: yellow flames around the pupil on a red background
* Stars & Stripes: the American flag
* Bloodshot: white with red "blood vessels"
* NFL Crazy Lenses: official football team logos
While special effect contact lenses are definitely designed with fun in mind you still need to know how to wear and care for them properly. Wearing any contact lenses irresponsibly can put your eye health at risk. Eye infections can be problematic so you need to practice safe use of your wacky contact lenses. To have your lenses fitted, see an eye care professional. This is true even if you don't wear contacts for vision correction.
Make sure you clean and disinfect your special effect contact lenses in the same way as you would any other lens. Don't share them with friends or swap lenses no matter how tempting it may be! Severe eye infections can lead to loss of vision so always be careful.
If you go into a store and they offer you special effect contact lenses without asking for a prescription you need to know that this is illegal in the United States. This is so that your vision can be properly protected. It may seem fun to buy these lenses but you don't want to lose your vision due to wearing lenses that don't fit your eyes properly.
