1. When deciding to get prescription colored contact lenses, always choose a reputable optician to get your eyes tested first. It’s recommended that you get an eye test at least every two years – this is even more important when you have a prescription, so the optician can keep an eye on any changes that may be occurring in the eyes. Always have a test before you change contacts lenses so they can measure the eye and the strength of prescription needed.

2. Before you visit your optician to order colored contact lenses, do your research. Your optician will offer you recommendations for lenses based upon your eye exam. If you’ve done your research, you will know what you are looking for in the lenses, and you will not feel pressured to make a quick decision. You’ll also be able to ask questions of your optician regarding the care of lenses that you choose, along with any questions on care and storage.

3. Always purchase your lenses through a reputable source that carries name brands and products from major manufacturers. Don’t give into the temptation to save money by going with an off brand. These lenses may not have adequately tested or manufactured with quality controls and inspections. If the lenses you’ve purchased do not correct your vision properly or if they damage your eyes, they’re not a bargain. Purchasing colored contact lenses is not a time to buy on price rather than quality.

4. A properly written prescription is absolutely vital to getting contact lenses that fit properly. If the prescription is corrected, the lenses will be comfortable, your vision will be corrected properly and you will become used to the contact lenses in record time. Don’t be afraid to ask your optician to double check the prescription for you.

5. Now for the fun. You get to decide the color you want. You can be subtle and pick something that simply enhances your eyes. You can change from blue to brown or hazel. You can decide you want one blue eye and one brown. These are a few of the options available to you.

6. Before you leave the optician’s office, make sure you understand how to take care of your new lenses. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t understand a procedure, ask for a demonstration. Check with your eye care professional for brands of solutions for cleaning and storing your new contacts. Using a good solutions properly are necessary to avoid damage to your eyes or to your lenses.

7. Play by the rules. Take your contacts out before you go to bed. Doing so will help you avoid infections and eye damage. Ask your optician about rotating the use of colored contacts with clear contacts to maintain the health of your eyes.

8. Bear in mind that prescription colored contacts can often cause mild irritation when first inserted, although this usually fades after time. Once the eyes have become accustomed to them, they can not only correct your vision but can be a great accessory as well.

Colored Contacts Without a doubt, the most popular theatrical lenses are also the simplest. These contacts just change the color of your eyes and are tremendously popular among young people in particular who enjoy testing new eye colors.

These colored contacts tend to work best with light colored eyes (blue, grey, green, etc.) but there are also versions created specifically for darker eyes that need more pigment. You can use common eye colors, like blue or green or you can try something a little creepier, perhaps red or yellow. A fun way to use colored lenses is to wear just one at a time, leaving the other eye natural.

Evil Eyes If you want something a little more sinister than just the eye color change, look for lenses that change the shape of your pupil. This can be a fun way to amp up the fear factor. These types of contacts come with vertical slit pupils, like a cat eye. You can usually buy them in a variety of colors, with red and yellow being the most common. These lenses need to be put in just so, however, to ensure that the pupil is facing the right way.

Party On If you hit the dance floor on a regular basis, then black light eyes are a must have. They glow in the black light and create a very interesting effect for parties and raves. These are still fairly new, but already extremely popular and in demand.

Movie Effects With movies like Twilight being so popular, vampire contacts and wolf lenses are all the rage. Vampire contacts are usually red, but allow for the pupil in the center, while a wolf eye is animal like and brown with streaks. These aren`t the only movie effect lenses you can get, though. Look for your favorite horror movie brought to life in your eyes with contacts that mimic the effects from movies like Hellraiser, Tempest and Jeepers Creepers.

There are plenty of options to turn you into the monster of your dreams.

White While these could technically be labeled as colored lenses, the fact is that white contact lenses actually cover up any existing color and make your eyes a fun white color, essentially eliminating the color. This type of contact lens is particularly popular if you are into zombies and want the blank, undead look.

Pictures While not quite as common as colored contact lenses, these fun lenses are found everywhere just the same. They come with images of everything from spiders, roaches or skulls on them to flowers, smiley faces and swirls; you just can’t get that look with glasses.

Having a picture in your eye can be a fun way to grab people`s attention and the variety of images available means that each person can choose the style that suits their personality.

Special effects contact lenses can be a fun way to change your look . . . subtly or in a rather obvious manner. They are also ideal for costume parties and Halloween when you need those special vampire eyes. The price tag can be a little high, especially if you are going for handpainted, so keep that in mind when buying for a special occasion.

These lenses aren`t meant for long term use usually, so you`ll need to take them out and clean them as you would with regular contacts before using again. With proper care, specialty lenses can last up to 4-5 months.

Wearing contact lenses requires a little more attention than using glasses. The contacts need to be cleaned and after a certain amount of use, they will need to be replaced. Your contact replacement schedule will depend entirely upon the type of contact lenses that you choose to go with.

Types of Contact Lenses There are several different kinds of contact lenses, each has a different life span and it is really a matter of personal preference as to which one you use. There are two main types, hard and soft.

Hard Lenses Hard contact lenses are rigid and cannot be used overnight. These lenses are very durable, however, and can be cleaned daily to maintain them. With proper care, hard contact lenses will last a very long time, often up to two years. However, it is possible for the harder plastic to become contaminated or end up with mineral buildup if they aren`t carefully looked after, which will shorten their life span.

In general, hard contacts will be replaced if they are lost, damaged or have become too contaminated to fix.

Soft Lenses Soft contacts, on the other hand, do not last as long since they are made of thinner material. There are far more varieties of these lenses and many people prefer them for comfort. It takes less time to get your eyes used to soft lenses than it does for hard ones.

Regular soft contact lenses should last up to a year with proper care. This means taking them out each evening like hard contacts and cleaning them. Keep in mind that the material tends to tear easily, so they need to be handled very gently while cleaning.

Daily wear lenses are just that, meant for daily use. You toss the contact lenses at the end of each day. This ensures fresh, clean and sterile ones are used in the morning and prevents infections and possible injuries due to improper cleaning, something that often occurs when people are using long term contacts.

Special silicone lenses allow you to wear them non-stop for an entire month. This is possibly the most popular option these days. You don`t need to think about your contacts, just put them in at the beginning of the month and wear them day and night for up to 30 days. These will need to be replaced each month, an easily remembered date.

It`s important to replace your contacts when needed. When older lenses are used, they can end up with bacteria and mineral buildup. When the encrustations scratch your eye, they open the path for those bacteria to creep in and cause infections. Since the eye is a very delicate organ, infections can be serious. Some even cause blindness.

Eye doctors often recommend daily use or frequent replacement lenses to prevent problems. When you use completely new and fresh lenses on a daily basis, or whenever you take out the old ones, the chances of developing issues with this type of eyewear are extremely low. It`s a good idea to check out this option if you aren`t interested in cleaning your lenses on a regular basis with contact lens solutions or dealing with the constant upkeep required.

To prevent possible problems, be sure to change your contact lenses when necessary. Not all lenses make it to the supposed change-by date, so if you notice that they seem cloudy, scratched or smell funny, toss them and replace. It might mean a little more cash outlay, but that`s well worth it to keep your eyes healthy and safe.