Did you ever wish that you had a different eye color? Or maybe you just want to do something a bit crazy and have different color eyes for each party? Color contacts can do wonders for your appearance, but only if you select the right type and color. Learn how to get the best out of your color lenses, what your options are and what to consider when selecting color contacts.
Do color lenses really change your eye color and look natural?
This is a question that worries most people who want to try color contacts for the first time. After all, you want people to think “what gorgeous eyes she has” not “what nice contact lenses she wears”.
Color lens manufacturers are aware of the issue and try to make color contacts look vivid, yet natural. There is a lot of sophisticated technology involved in the brand name color contacts like Acuvue 2 Colors or Freshlook. The lens isn’t just solid color, it has a pattern similar to the pattern of a human eye. Also the color isn’t consistent throughout the lens, just like in most people eyes. See color contact lens comparison
Color lens choices for light eyes
Depending on the effect you want to create, people with light eyes can wear enhancement or opaque color contacts.
If you just want to enhance your natural color, half transparent, enhancement lenses would be great for you. The best choices are:
•Acuvue 2 Colors Enhancers – to brighten your eyes.
•Freshlook Radiance – lenses with an illuminating effect that enhances your color and makes your eyes appear sparkly.
•Freshlook Dimensions – unique lens design makes your eyes appear not only brighter but also creates the impression of depth and dimension.
If you feel adventurous and want a dramatic change, go for opaque lenses:
•Acuvue 2 Colors opaques
•Freshlook Colorblends
If it is your first time with color contact lenses and you aren’t sure what effect you want, start with enhancement lenses. This way your friends will notice that you look more appealing, but they probably won’t notice what it is about you that attracts their attention.
Color contact lenses for dark eyes
If you have very dark eyes and tried color contact lenses a few years ago, you probably were not very impressed with the effect. Contacts of the previous generation didn’t look quite right. However, recently developed color lenses like Freshlook Colorblends can do wonders for dark eyes.
One thing to remember, however, is that enhancers don’t work on brown eyes, so your only choice is opaque contact lenses. Acuvue 2 Colors opaques and Freshlook Colorblends work best for dark eyes.
Also you should be careful, when selecting the color. It should be a color that would look right with your skin and hair. See color contact lens chart with suggestions and photos.
If you just want to make your eyes seem brighter and more vivid, without changing their color, go for brown or hazel color lenses. This way your eyes won’t look a different color, but people will notice that they are bright and lively.
Opaque color contacts work very well. The only thing they can’t do for you is to make your eyes light. Blue, green and aqua opaque contacts create a deep, vivid color, which suits people who have naturally brown eyes.
Do color contacts come with corrective powers?
Acuvue 2 Colors and all Freshlook collections come with visual correction powers as well as in plano (no correction). Additionally, Freshlook Colorblends is the only color lens that comes in toric, so it is suitable for people with astigmatism.
So which is better: Acuvue 2 Colors or Freshlook?
There is no single answer to this question. Both brands of lens are very comfortable to wear and create a great look. The only difference is in the colors. On the same person, blue from Acuvue would look very different from Freshlook blue. It really depends on your eyes and face, and it’s almost impossible to predict the result until you wear your color contacts.
Don’t pay to much attention to how the lens looks in the picture, because on you it will probably look different. This happens mostly with enhancer lenses – blue enhancers over blue eyes look very different from enhancers over gray eyes. Opaque color contact lenses also can look very different on different people; this is not due to your natural eye color, but because of eye shape, skin and hair types.
When you narrow your choice to one color, I would recommend asking your doctor for two prescriptions: one for Acuvue 2 Colors and another for Freshlook. Then order both. They cost pretty much the same, so you would spend no more than if you were to order 2 boxes of each.
Then, after wearing your new color contacts for a while, you can decide for yourself, which looks better.
Also, doctors usually give you free trial color contacts. You can’t really wear them in public because trial lenses have the word “test” imprinted on them, but it gives you a fair idea about the color. Ask for two free pairs, one from Freshlook and one from Acuvue, and see which looks best.
As far as the price is concerned, Freshlook and Acuvue 2 Colors cost about the same for a 6-lens box. However, all Freshlook lenses are monthly disposable, while Acuvue 2 Colors is a 2-week disposable contacts lens. So it turns out that Freshlook is twice cheaper.
If you were thinking of giving yourself a little treat, getting color contacts would not disappoint you. And now when you know what would work best for you, you can make your choice with confidence.
Happy changing!
Tanya Turner is a contact lens expert and a founder of Contact Lens Consumer Guide, where you can find unbiased information about eye health and all types of contact lenses with reviews and pictures