Where can you buy colored contacts in stores? Compared to when colored contact lenses first debuted, you can now find them in many stores or by searching for them online.
By now, I am sure that you have read someone’s horror story about colored contact lenses. There are some very interesting stories out there don’t get me wrong.
One thing that the majority of the bad stories have in common is that the contacts were bought from some convenience store, jewelry store or some out of the way beauty supply store.
If a friend of yours that wears prescription glasses gave you their glasses to wear but you do not wear prescription glasses, would you still wear them? No. Then what would make you think that any of the places I mentioned above, know anything about prescribing colored contacts for your eyes?
My point is this, even though colored contact lenses are available with and without a prescription, they must still be prescribed by an eye doctor.
Many people opt not to visit a real eye doctor because they do not want to pay for an eye exam. What many fail to understand is the eye exam is a critical part of the process.
Eye doctors are not out to just collect a fee. An eye exam provides important information such as if your eyes are even healthy enough to wear any type of contact lens.
An eye doctor during an exam, also takes measurements of your eye. Why? Colored contacts as well as regular clear contacts are not one size fits all. The colored contacts that you find at local stores that are not doctor offices, are one size fits whoever is buying them and that is not good.
Did you know that the “tear film” is what keeps your eyes wet? Here are some things that can affect the tear film and cause eye irritation.
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- Being in a room that has a high temperature.
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- Reading for long periods of time.
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- Not blinking enough or blinking more than 30 times in a minute.
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- Air constantly blowing in your face.
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- Staring at your phone, tablet or computer screen for extended amounts of time without resting the eyes.
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- Dusty or powdery environments.
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- Bright or very dim lighting.
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- Industrial or household chemical fumes.
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- Constant eye rubbing.
- Cosmetics like blush, cover-up and mascara.
If your eyes are always or get irritated easily, you will more than likely have a problem wearing any kind of contact lens.
The colored contact lenses that you can find outside of doctor’s offices are nearly 100% of the time disposable contacts. Disposable is another word for “throwaway”.
Disposable contacts are generally meant to last for 2 weeks or 14 wears. They are not meant to last forever or even 90 days after they have been taken out of their packaging.
Disposable contact lenses with or without color are not meant to be slept in either. If you want to be able to sleep with your contacts in you need extended wear contacts.
The main difference besides extended contacts being able to be worn longer than disposable contacts is that they are thinner and allow more oxygen into the eye.
Forgetting or failing to clean your contacts and your contact lens case can cause eye irritation or eye infections as well.
Should You Even Bother
You have to make the final call as to if you want to deal with colored contact lenses and their responsibility.
There are some amazing advances underway for people that do and for those that want to wear contact lenses. Doctors are now able to surgically place contact lenses under the cornea so you don’t have to worry about removing them at all. Doctors are now even able to remove the brown or black pigment in your eyes to reveal their true color.
So where can you buy colored contacts in stores? You can call it a store but I call it the eye doctor’s office. I do not think you should risk your vision for a great deal on colored contact lenses.
No, I am not your eye doctor but I have been wearing contact lenses since I was in high school. Even if you buy extended wear contacts, it is still a good idea to take them out at night so that your eyes can rest.
If the colored contacts that you buy are non prescription, wait and put them on after you are finished with the rest of your makeup. This will lessen the chance of any little pieces of mascara and eyeliner getting on or under your contact lens.
Always wash your hands before touching your colored or regular contact lenses even if your hands look clean, they are not clean enough to stick into your eye.
