Can You Get Prescription Colored Contacts?

Yes! You can get colored prescription contacts, but you need a prescription to get them. Even if you’re getting colored contact lenses purely for cosmetic purposes and not to correct vision, you still need a prescription from an eye doctor.

In this article, we’ll go over why a contact lens prescription is necessary, the different types of prescription colored contacts available, and how to get prescription colored contacts.

Do You Need a Prescription for Colored Contacts?

For the health of your eyes and to safeguard your vision, you absolutely need a prescription from an eye doctor for colored contacts or regular contact lenses. According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), all contact lenses are medical devices and selling contacts without a prescription is illegal.

Have Perfect Vision? You Still Need a Prescription For Colored Contacts

Whether they correct your eyesight or are “plano” contacts (meaning they don’t correct vision), to keep you safe, all colored contact lenses require a prescription. This includes “decorative” contacts and novelty Halloween contacts.

Wearing non-prescription colored contacts, which are sometimes found at places like costume shops, beauty retailers, or online, is dangerous. Such contacts could cause a serious eye injury, eye infection, or vision loss.

To protect your vision and eye health, only get FDA-approved contacts from a reputable retailer like Warby Parker, with a prescription written by an eye doctor.

Why Get Prescription Colored Contacts?

People choose colored contacts for a number of reasons. But generally, it’s to either enhance your natural eye color or totally change the color of your eye’s iris.

Two main tint styles commonly achieve these goals, and each is available in a wide range of colors:

• Enhancement tint: Contacts with an enhancement tint feature a see-through wash of color to create a more vivid version of light-colored eyes like blue, green, or light hazel.
• Opaque tint: Contacts with an opaque tint completely cover and mask the iris to present an entirely new eye color. Opaque tints work particularly well for people with dark eyes who want to change their eyes to a lighter hue. But people with lighter eyes can use these colored contact lenses to completely change their eye color, too.

Types of Colored Contacts

Depending on your vision needs and lifestyle, you can usually wear contacts to correct your vision and also change the color of your eyes. Several prescription contact lens types have color versions available. These include:

• Single-vision colored contact lenses to correct refractive errors like myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness)
• Colored contacts that are purely aesthetic, without vision correction
• Toric colored contacts for astigmatism 
• Daily wear or monthly colored contacts

How Can You Get Prescription Colored Contacts?

First, know that a contact lens prescription is separate from a prescription for eyeglasses. Each prescription has different specifications and measurements.

That being said, getting prescription colored contacts is like getting any prescription contact lenses. You’ll need a contact lens exam and lens fitting from an optometrist or ophthalmologist.

A contact lens exam is often considered an add-on to a comprehensive eye exam. So, if you’re due for your annual comprehensive eye exam, you can usually get your contact lens exam done at the same time. When you make your eye appointment, specify that you want to be fitted for contact lenses. You can also mention that you’re interested in colored contact lenses.

If done on its own, the cost of a contact lens exam might run you somewhere between $100 and $250. If you add a contact lens exam to a comprehensive eye exam, it’ll probably cost more than having just one or the other. Some eye doctors will allow a patient to get a stand-alone contact lens exam if they’ve had a comprehensive eye exam within the previous few months. Check with your eye care provider to find out their policies.

You may be able to pay for your eye exam (or part of the exam) and your colored contact lenses with vision insurance. You may also be able to pay using funds from your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA), if you have them. Note that coverage or eligibility is unlikely if you’re getting contact lenses that don’t correct your vision.

Prescription Colored Contacts and Eye Care

If you’re interested in colored contact lenses, talk with an eye doctor. They’ll be able to evaluate if you’re a candidate for contacts, help you decide what type to get, write your prescription, and advise you on lens cleaning and care.

Even if you’re not interested in contact lenses, colored or otherwise, be sure to keep up with your annual comprehensive eye exams. They’re an essential component of your ongoing eye care.