You may be a fan of colored eye contacts, especially if you frequent the creative or costuming community. Whether or not your wear regular eye contacts as a part of your daily routine, you may not be stopping to think about if wearing these products comes with any consequences. Today, we are going to dive deeper a little bit deeper into this topic and fill you in on what Orange County LASIK surgeons have to say about them.

What is the purpose of colored eye contacts?

They are often used for Halloween costumes, modeling photos, or other events that involve costuming. They have been around since the 1930s as a result of an MGM makeup artist wanting to find a way to change an actor’s eye color from brown to blue for a movie he was working on.

What should I know before using colored eye contacts for the first time?

You will need to get an eye exam before using colored eye contacts, especially if you are due for a general checkup. That is because non-prescription colored contacts are illegal in the United States. When purchasing them on popular websites such as Pinky Paradise or TTD Eye, you will be required to upload proof of your prescription to comply with the law.

You should use similar proceedings as you would with regular contacts as you would with colored eye contacts. Including:

• Never share your colored eye contacts with anybody else.
• Always wash your hands before applying your eye contacts. 
• Just like regular eye contacts, you should never sleep with colored eye contacts on.
• Never wear eye contacts while swimming.
• Listen to your optician regarding any other advice they have regarding using your colored contacts.

Can colored eye contacts damage your eyes temporarily or permanently?

If you are not wearing legal colored eye contacts that were not appropriately prescribed by your eye doctors or you fail to follow the safety procedures above, then yes, there can be either temporary or permanent consequences. For example, sleeping with colored eye contacts on can lead to blindness the worst case scenario. Not even the best Orange County laser eye surgery would be able to reverse the effects, so you must take them seriously.

However, you may be surprised to learn that they can actually help with certain eye conditions. “Specialty tinted lenses can cosmetically improve the appearance of eyes disfigured by injury, infection, or scarring on the cornea,” says Dr. Martin Faber an optometrist based in Arlington, Texas. “Plus, there is a custom tinting process available to match the tint to the patient’s eye color. Some patients with eye injuries also have problems with glare, which reduces their ability to function. One option is to blackout the pupil in the contact lens (a concept similar to black-out drapes). Manufacturers can tint a central black dot on the front of the lens to block light from entering the eye, which can make the patient feel more comfortable.”

Looking for the most paramount place to get LASIK in Orange County?

While we cannot change your permanent eye color, we can do something even better for you: give you the better eyesight you have always wanted. The Harvard-trained Dr. Ferzaad Moosa is hands-down one of the best LASIK surgeons in Orange County. Even if you are still not quite sure if the procedure is right for you, you can go ahead and schedule a free consultation appointment at our Brea location by calling our office at 1-866-923-9235. You already do a lot for others, so why not do something to help yourself for once?