Unique And Unusual Contacts

Contact lenses have grown to become as much a fashion statement as they are a corrective device after becoming a practical solution for vision disorders decades ago. They transformed into hard plastic lenses some time after their beginning in the 1950s as hard glass lenses, both of which were uncomfortable and expensive. Soft contact lenses debuted in the 1970s, kicking off a revolution in corrective eyewear. The modern contact lens wearers can choose from a wide array of options including torics, disposable lenses, color lenses, and even wildly unusual contacts. The latest fashion crazes are the color and strange contacts, which allow wearers appear to change the color or even the shape of their eyes.

Where colored contacts merely alter the apparent color of the eye, more extreme contacts exist that raise the bar in what contact lenses can do for the look of the wearer's eyes. They are available in a wild assortment of colors, styles, and shapes. An example of this includes contacts that sport a yellow background and vertical black slit pupil, creating the illusion of an eye similar to a cat. Another popular choice for those who are fans of wolves has lunar yellow around the pupil and a black border, for a distinctly canine look.

These specialty contacts also come in wild shapes. There are some that sport a red and white spiral, creating a dizzying abnormal appearance. To cause a powerfully disconcerting effect, try wearing a set of all-white contacts, which turn the entire eye completely white. Also popular are contact lenses sporting yellow flames circling the pupil overlaying a red background.

It is even possible now to demonstrate allegiance to a country or favorite teams, thanks to entrepreneuring contact designers. With contact lenses that allow the wearer's eyes to proudly display an American flag or to sport the logo of the home team in the whites of their eyes, there truly is a specialty lens for virtually everyone.

Of course, since specialty contacts are actual contact lenses, they do require professional fitting by an optometrist and, if needed for vision correction, a prescription as well. Failing to have them fitted properly or not caring for them properly can put the wearer at significant risk for eye infections. On the upside, the care required for specialty lenses is the same as any other contact lens, so the fun far outweighs this necessary responsibility.