Colored contacts allow a person to change or enhance, his or her eye color. Until 2005, purchasing colored contact lenses did not require a prescription. However, the purchase of a color contact lens currently requires a prescription due to many incidents of adverse effects, and the potential for serious eye injury. These adverse events have been caused by improper fit, defective manufacturing, consumer misuse, and the transfer of of harmful bacteria.

Therefore, the color contact lens is no longer classified as an unregulated cosmetic device. They are regulated by the FDA as medical devices regardless of whether or not the contact lenses have any vision correction. Dealers that sell the color contact lens in the U.S. without requiring a prescription are in violation of the law.
Because of the chance of infection, cosmetic contacts should not be swapped between friends, or used by children without proper professional consultation. Cosmetic contact lenses need to be cleaned and cared for with the same diligence and care as corrective contacts, including appropriate disinfection, routine cleaning, and careful storage between use.

As with corrective lenses, coloured contacts are available in several varieties from twenty-four hour lenses to monthly lenses. Some coloured contact lenses provide additional protection against harmful ultraviolet radiation from sunlight. Colored lenses vary from regular corrective vision contact lenses in the addition of tints to the region of the contacts overlaying the iris. The iris is the naturally colored, circular part of the eye surrounding the dark pupil where light enters. Four different types of tints are added.

A "visibility tint" simply makes the contact more visible for easier removal and insertion. Visibility tints do not change the eye color. Somewhat more pronounced in color, "enhancement tints" are designed to enhance the natural color of the iris. Enhancement tints are often used by people with light-colored eyes who wish to enhance their natural color.And we haven’t even touched upon glow in the dark contacts a special kind of FX contact lenses for Halloween.

The "color tints" are intense tints designed to significantly change the color of the iris. Colored tint lenses completely change a person’s eye color, as a someone might change her hair color. These contact lenses are also commonly used with holiday theatrical costumes, Halloween costumes, and sporting-event fan costumes.
The last category of lens tints, the "light-filtering tints". These make objects of certain colors stand-out in bright light. These contact lenses are employed much like vision-enhancing sunglasses.

Whether a person’s reason for wearing contacts is purelycosmetic, purely corrective, or a mix of both, receiving a proper examination and prescription from a licensed professional is an essential first-step to ensuring long-term pleasure of the product without taking a chance of damaging your eyes.

Contact Lens History, Where Did They Come From?
While there are several people who thought of contact lenses, before they were ever made, there were also several people that improved and adjusted the lenses.

Development of contact lens | Eye Care Advisory
Over the years contact lenses have improved tremendously. From the start of hard Perspex lenses to the daily disposable lens and now also the “permanent.

“CIBA Vision Corp. Duluth, GA” – Focus Dailies 90 pack
Focus Dailies 90 pack Contact Lenses made by CIBA Vision Corp. Duluth, GA – on Sale now! Hint: Got a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)? Use it to buy.

Within 10 years, we’ll have TV inside our contact lenses
That is, how does TV implanted into your contact lenses sound? Really great, or just great? Absolutely horrendous, or just horrendous? Apparently the “basic technology” already exists.