Color Contact Lenses

COLOR CONTACT LENSES AND DARK EYES

Eye color is determined by a dark brown pigment called melanin, the same substance that colors hair and skin. The more melanin and the closer it is to the surface of your iris, the darker your eyes will be. This is because the melanin is reflecting only dark colors and absorbing the other colors. To change a dark eye to another whole eye color then requires a contact lens to reflect a different color back to the observers eye. This is achieved with opaque color contact lenses such as Cooper Vision's Encore/ Expressions, and Wesley-Jessen FreshLook Colorblends to name a few.

You can expect different effects on a dark eye from tinted and opaque contact lenses. Because tinted lenses are semitransparent, light is reflected from the lens but it also passes through the lens and is reflected by the dark eye beneath it. As a result, the dark color eye is absorbing much of the light as well as reflecting darker colored light back to the viewer. It is, in effect, overpowering the light being reflected by the lighter colored tinted lens making it almost unnoticeable.

OPAQUE CONTACT LENSES AND HOW THEY WORK

Opaque lenses have solid colors applied to the surface of the lens. These colors are applied in a variety of shapes and patterns, with clear spaces in between, and mimic the natural look of your eye. The solid colors cover your natural dark eyes completely whenever they are present. The clear spaces let your natural eye color show through and blend with the color being reflected from the solid colors. The more color coverage on the lens then, the more eye color change you can expect.

COLOR CONTACT LENSES AND LIGHT EYE COLOR

Light color eyes have it all. Both tinted color contact lenses and opaque color contact lenses will have profound affects on eye color perceived. Because tinted lenses are semitransparent, light is reflected from the lens but it also passes through the lens and is reflected by the light eye beneath it. As a result, the light color eye is absorbing much of the light as well as reflecting lighter colored light back to the viewer. There is a net accumulative effect seen by an observer of the eye color of the iris and the tinted color contact lens. Slight eye color changes can be alluring or for a more dramatic effect, an opaque lens may be applied.

TINTED COLOR CONTACT LENSES AND HOW THEY WORK

Tinted lenses are semitransparent, light is reflected from the lens but it also passes through the lens and is reflected by the light eye beneath it. As a result, the light color eye is absorbing much of the light as well as reflecting lighter colored light back to the viewer. Their is a net accumulative effect seen by an observer of the eye color of the iris and the tinted color contact lens. Tinted color contact lenses work well in enhancing a light color iris but have little effect on dark colored eyes.

ACTIONS AND MOVIES OF COLOR CONTACT LENSES

To see the color additive effects of colored contact lenses on the eye, go to http://www.contact-lenses-direct.com

This web site explains how various colored contact lenses perform on various colored eyes. See the true additive effect on various eye colors.

INDICATIONS (USES) Of TINTED COLOR CONTACT LENSES

Color contact lenses (spherical) are indicated for daily wear for the correction of refractive ametropia (myopia and hyperopia) in aphakic or non-aphakic persons with non-diseased eyes who may have 1.00D or less of astigmatism. Special astigmatic color contact lenses are available from Wesley-Jessen Ciba.

Color contact lenses may be prescribed for daily wear, 30 days wear (less than 1 day while awake) before replacement or as recommended by your Eye Care Provider. Eye Care Practitioners may prescribe the lenses either for daily wear or frequent/planned replacement wear with cleaning, disinfecting and scheduled replacement (see "Wearing Schedule"). When prescribed for frequent/planned replacement wear, the colored contact lenses may be disinfected using a chemical disinfecting system only.

Recently,companies such as Ciba Vision-Wesley-Jesssen have developed color contact lenses for people with astigmatism in disposable monthly wear schedules.

CONTRAINDICATIONS (REASONS NOT TO USE) COLOR CONTACT LENSES

• Acute or subacute inflammation or infection of the anterior chamber of the eye
• Any eye disease, injury or abnormality that affects the cornea, conjunctiva or eyelids
• Severe insufficiency of lacrimal secretion (dry eyes)
• Corneal hypoesthesia (reduced corneal sensitivity), if non-aphakic
• Any systemic disease that may affect the eye or be exaggerated by wearing colored contact lenses
• Allergic reactions of ocular surfaces or adnexa that may be induced or exaggerated by wearing colored contact lenses or use of contact lens solutions
• Allergy to any ingredient, such as mercury or Thimerosal, in a solution which is to be used to care for the Focus Monthly Softcolors colored contact lenses
• Any active corneal infection (bacterial, fungal, protozoal or viral)
• If eyes become red or irritated

WEARING SCHEDULE

The wearing and replacement schedules should be determined by the Eye Care Practitioner. Patients tend to over wear the colored contact lenses initially. The Eye Care Practitioner should emphasize the importance of adhering to the initial maximum wearing schedule. Regular checkups, as determined by the Eye Care Practitioner, are also extremely important.

The wearing schedule and replacement schedule is different for all types of colored contact lenses. The Eye Care Practitioner is encouraged to determine an appropriate contact lens replacement schedule based upon the response of the patient. The color contact lens should be discarded as scheduled by your eye care practitioner.

The maximum suggested wearing time for color contact lenses should be: