What Are Your Options for Color Contact Lenses?

The colors that make up our appearance can portray a lot about our personality and how we present ourselves to the world. Are you bright and radiant, for example, or perhaps more thoughtfully subdued?

Most often, we leave color choices to our clothes. Many of us change our hair, however, but not as many people consider changing the colors of their eyes.

For those of us wearing glasses, we have some expressive leeway in the frames we select. But we’re not talking about frames today. We’re looking at the irises of your eyes themselves, and how color contact lenses can provide a shift in shade should you be looking for something new!

Color Contact Lenses Are Not Just Costume Wear

If you only tend to think of color contacts as something people wear for Halloween costumes or to rave parties, think again.

Color contact lenses are not a cosmetic-only accessory. They can also contain a prescription to allow for corrected vision, just like a standard pair of contact lenses.

A pair of color lenses also does not have to be an exaggerated shade, consist of some wild pattern or glow under a black light. Sure, they might be able to if you wish; but they can also work to provide a very natural hue. Even if you’re just looking to bump your current eye color a little lighter or darker, color contact lenses can easily do so.

We’ll tell you about some of the options you may have with lenses, as well as what types of colors might work best for your complexion and other elements. The ultimate choices, of course, are up to you and what you want to express!

A Choice of Tint

Your irises don’t tend to be one solid color throughout. Instead, they are often composed of a multitude of lines and shapes featuring a gradient of shades. A pair of color contact lenses can work with these natural shifts, or can mask them entirely.

Two general kinds of tint are available for color lenses, depending on what you’re looking for:

• An enhancement tint is for those who wish to make a slight adjustment to the natural color of their eyes. They have a translucent tint and tend to contain many tiny dots or lines of color to help blend into the original colors of the eye. This option is most effective for those with lighter eye colors, where these enhancements can more plainly and prominently show.
• An opaque tint is not transparent (although the central pupil area is clear so you can see, of course). Those who have darker eye shades will most likely require this kind in order to show any real difference in eye color.

There is also a type of tint that is used to give the lenses a slight color to make them easier to see and handle, but this does not affect the color of your eyes.

So What Kind of Color Shift Are You Looking For?

What kind of change are you looking for with a change in eye color? Are you seeking to place a bit more attention along your current eye color, or do you wish for a more dramatic change that people will really notice?

If you have light eyes, an enhancement tint may be right for you; especially if you are just wanting to lightly shift or emphasize your current color. A lens that adds to the edges of the iris can really make them stand out more as a whole.

Enhancement tints might also work well for shifting your eye color further, but opaque lenses might be needed, depending on how light or dark your natural color is and what color you would like to shift to.

If you have darker eyes, it is almost guaranteed that you will need opaque tinted lenses. Even so, you don’t need to make a dramatic change with them if you do not wish to. If you have brown eyes, for example, you can always shift to a slightly lighter or darker shade, or even subtly shift to hazel. Of course, you can opt for just about any color you’d like as long as the lenses are right!

If you are looking for what eye colors would work best for various skin tones and complexions, consider the following:

• If you have a warmer skin tone, along with hair that is more golden or yellow in color, then a light brown, green, or hazel tends to complement it well.
• If you have a cooler skin tone, and hair that is more blue-black or silvery, then cooler colors such as light blue and violet tend to be effective.

But remember: you don’t need to let guides dictate what you want. There are apps out there that can give you a digital preview of how you might look with different eye colors, and you can also come in to try colors directly with us! Do some experimenting before making a decision.

See the World in Your Best Light

Whether you are looking for color contacts or the right pair of designer frames, we can help you find the options that best complement your face and broadcast your style to the world.

Make an appointment with our office by calling (616) 772-2020 or by filling out our online contact form.