Having a Colored Contact Lens Prescription Insures Getting Correct Contacts.

A colored contact lens prescription is necessary in many locations to obtain lenses for cosmetic use only. Many people are considering using coloured contacts for an easy and natural way to change the color of their eyes. You can obtain many different colors of contacts without vision correction but a doctor's visit and a percription are still needed before you can order contacts over the Internet or by mail order.

Lenses without power are called plano lenses and are usually just for cosmetic use. Laws vary in each state as to whether or not you can buy contacts without prescriptions. Check with your local optometrist for the laws in your state. Federal law through the FDA states that plano contact lenses are cosmetic devices, not for medical use. Thus, the FDA allows such sales but state laws override.

The FDA has ruled that lenses such as these "present significant risks of blindness and other eye injury if they are distributed without a prescription or without proper fitting by a qualified eye care professional." Some bills in Congress have been introduced that would label cosmetic colored contacts as medical devices and be use-restricted under the supervision of a qualified eye professional.

If you already have a prescription and want colored lenses, you may ask your eye doctor. Higher prescriptions can be written to allow you to obtain the color of contact of your choice. Check with your optometrist for information regarding colored contacts and how they can work for you.