If you've always wanted to change the color of your eyes, perhaps you're considering colored contact lenses. These lenses sit on the surface of your eye, just like a regular corrective contact lens. If you need visual correction, you can order lenses that correct your vision and change your eye color, and if you already have perfect vision, you can order non-prescription lenses that just change your eye color. While innovative, colored lenses are not for everyone. Keep these factors in mind, so you can be sure colored contact are right for you and that you're obtaining them as safely as possible.

Only the colored lenses obtained from an eye doctor are safe.

Don't order contact lenses online without a prescription, even if you don't need them to correct any vision problems. Generic lenses may not be the right size for your eyes, which could cause permanent eye damage. If you're interested in colored contacts, visit an eye doctor to have your eyes properly measured. Your eye doctor at a clinic like Glacier Eye Clinic will order the colored lenses for you, so you can be sure you're getting the right size.

Keep in mind that because colored contacts are cosmetic, your insurance may not cover them and you may have to pay for them out-of-pocket. Don't let this sway you towards buying cheap lenses online instead. If you damage your eyes, the pain and suffering you endure won't be worth the few dollars you save.

The type of lens you need will depend on the color you want to achieve.

If you want to darken the color of your eyes, your eye doctor will likely recommend a semi-transparent lens. This type of lens is the best for your eye, since it allows it to breathe well and does not distort your vision if it happens to slip a little. If you want to achieve a color that's lighter than your normal color -- for instance, if you have brown eyes and want light blue eyes -- you will have to use opaque lenses. Some patients don't tolerate these well because they are thicker and can blur your vision if they slip. Thus, it's important to give opaque lenses a trial run and understand that there's a chance they simply won't work for you.

Even if you don't need corrective lenses, you'll have to be very careful when caring for your colored lenses.

Some patients assume that since they don't need their colored contacts, they don't have to take the time to clean and store them properly. However this is not the case. Caring for your contacts does more than preserve the contacts -- it preserves your eyes. Make sure you follow your eye doctor's instructions to clean and store your lenses, or you may fall prey to an eye infection.

If you're willing to see an eye doctor, take proper care of your contacts, and consider the possibility that opaque lenses may not work out, then forge ahead with your plan for colored lenses. Enjoy your new look!