Nonprescription Colored Contacts : Be Stylish, But Be Safe

If you want colored contacts just to change your eye color, but you don’t need any vision correction, you have probably found that there are a lot of colored contacts you can purchase online that don’t require you to show evidence of any doctor’s prescription. This is because in many places, especially in foreign countries, prescriptions are only required for medical devices, and non-correcting lenses are often not considered medical devices. It’s okay to want to wear colored contact lenses, either to express your own personality and style, or to sport a cool new look at a party or other event. However, don’t be trapped into thinking it’s okay to buy those new nonprescription colored contacts without getting a prescription. Even though you may be able to get away with it, you may only be hurting yourself due to the risk you’ll be taking. You need to be aware that there are several reasons you should want to get a prescription for your non-corrective colored contact lenses, even if the seller doesn’t require you to do so.

Contacts That Are Too Loose

Getting a prescription for your colored contacts is important because it involves having a doctor make sure the lenses you purchase are properly fitted to your eyes. One reason a proper fitting is so important is that you can experience significant problems with your eyes if you try to wear contacts that are too loose-fitting on your eyes for any period of time. Contacts that fit loosely like this will tend to move around more on your eyes than a properly fitted contact. This will lead to an unusual amount of rubbing against your eye, which can cause abrasions to your cornea. If this continues uncorrected, you can develop scarring, and your vision can be affected. This can also lead to disease and injury resulting from infection. You may enjoy having a great time showing off your new, stylish colored lenses. But it will hardly have been worth it if you find yourself having to suffer with pain and seeing the doctor about a nasty eye infection or injury. A simple preliminary visit to the doctor for a routine fitting and a prescription, can allow you to enjoy wearing your new nonprescription colored contacts without the fear of side effects.

Contacts That Are Too Tight

If you order contacts without a prescription, getting lenses that are too tight against your corneas can be just as much of a problem as lenses that are too loose. One important aspect of most contact lenses is that they are designed to allow free flow of your tears under the lenses, and to allow plenty of oxygen to be circulated to your corneas. Your corneas (clear surface on the front of your eyes) are living, breathing tissues, and can be easily damaged if they become too dry, or don’t receive enough oxygen. Tight- fitting contact lenses can interfere with the flow of tears and oxygen, and can not only cause great discomfort, but can lead to damage to your corneas, as well as infections like conjunctivitis. Your doctor’s prescription will assure that properly fitted colored contacts will avoid these problems.

Irregular Eye Shapes

Sometimes, even if your new lenses aren’t too loose or too tight on your eyes, you can still encounter problems if you have corneas with an irregular shape. Many people, especially those who are diagnosed with astigmatism, have an irregular shape to their corneas, either from birth or which developed over their lifetime. If you’ve been diagnosed with astigmatism, you probably already know this. However, for some people, their irregular corneal shape may not be bad enough to necessitate vision correction, so they may not have been examined and don’t even know they have this condition. If this is you, and you try ordering nonprescription colored contact lenses without visiting you doctor first, you can create some significant problems for yourself. If your new lenses aren’t fitted to match the irregular shape of your corneas, they will rub your eyes in certain spots, and contribute to abrasions to your cornea in specific areas which can cause infection to develop. Your best bet is to get a prescription before you order your nonprescription colored contacts, to make sure your doctor looks to see if you have astigmatism; in which case you’ll be glad that you got your new contacts fitted properly in light of your condition.

The bottom line for buying nonprescription colored contact lenses is that they are a cool idea for flaunting your style and mood. Just don’t be fooled into thinking you’re okay when the manufacturer doesn’t ask for a prescription. Get a prescription anyway. Then, you can look cool without having to worry about the problems you could have if you got contacts that are too loose, too tight, or that don’t fit any irregularities your eye may have. You’ll have a lot more fun, when your eyes are healthy and safe.