Basic Guide to Coloured Contact Lenses

By Icarus. 28/01/11, 12:15 pm

Like fake lashes, they're not necessary but definitely add flair to the cosplay.

Contacts are generally safe to wear as long as you take care of them and follow the instructions that come with them. This guide is off the top of my head as I lost the guide I had... orz. So if anyone has extra things to add just post it up and I'll add it here.

If it's your first time using them, it is HIGH RECOMMENDED you go to an optometrist first just to get your eyes checked on whether you're able to wear them etc. Remember, this is your sight we're dealing with so you'd want to be really careful with what you do to your eyes. And if you wear glasses then you can even coloured lenses with a prescription C:

[Picking lenses]
Most people's irises are about 14mm in diameter, crazy lenses (the solid rave/party ones you find at chemists or Trade me) are usually:
Diameter: 14.00mm
Base Curve (curve of the lens) : 8.6mm
Centre Thickness: 0.05

While circle contacts (they're quite common in the eastern countries as a part of regular cosmetics) they're usually larger in diameter ranging from 14.5mm to even 18.mm. (I'd honestly suggest not going any higher than 16.5mm)

Basic Guide to Coloured Contact Lenses Grell_10

Basic Guide to Coloured Contact Lenses Grell_10

Basic Guide to Coloured Contact Lenses Dpmami12

On the left are 14mm crazy lenses (UV yellow), on the right are 15mm circle lenses (i.Fairy Cherry gold)
So when you choose lenses you can pick the regular 14mm as they are easier to put in. The crazy lenses are a lot bolder colour, while the circle lenses blend better to make them look more natural.

When buying lenses for the first time, make sure to BUY CONTACT LENS SOLUTION. This is used to take care/clean them.

Now for how to take care of lenses. Heres a short list of what NOT to do:
DO NOT share your contacts.
DO NOT keep them in for longer than 8 hours.
DO NOT keep them in water, do not clean them with water either.
DO NOT wear over the expiry date.

[How to put contacts in]
I'm going to makes this a summary only because I'm not very good at explaining things here's a good ---> [Tutorial.] <---

So, before you even put these lenses in, you should fill the cases (that usually included with your lenses) fill them with solution, take the lenses out of their little jars and put them into the case. Leave them to soak for at least a day. This is because the liquid in the jars are used to preserve the lenses, but contact solution is used to clean them.

Now if it's your first time wearing them, ~~expect pain~~ it may cause discomfort. Your eyes won't be used to being touched so it'll take a while and be quite awkward. (It took 40-50 mins on my first go, and I cried manry tears :'D )

First step, wash your hands, make sure they're clean and don't have any lint on them after drying. (If they do you'll be in a world of pain.)
Take one of the lenses out and make sure it's up right (refer to link above). Pull back your upper or lower eye lid with your opposite hand and pop it in. It may take a few tries because you easily end up blinking just before.
It gets a lot easier after...... the 7th/8th go. When they're in they are meant to feel a little awkward and yes you will feel them every time you blink, that's normal. But if they sting, take them out, clean them with solution and check whether it's up right or not. (if they still sting like crazy after checking them after quite a few tries then I suggest you abandon them. Vision > Cosplay, but such cases are very very very rare.)

Make sure to do this BEFORE applying make-up. If you're pro enough do put contacts in without crying or smudging your make-up then it doesn't really matter either way.

As mentioned above, maximum amount of time for having contacts in your eyes is 8 hours per day. Best to take them out as soon as possible if your eyes become irritated.
After taking them out, clean the lenses (place in palm, pour some solution over it, and lightly rub for 5 secs on both sides with your finger.) Replace the solution in the spare case, and place contacts inside.

Recommended to change the case and clean the contacts every month, annnd I think that's it.
but yes, I can't stress enough how important your vision is. Please please please take care of your eyes, contacts are not toys. Just follow the instructions and be sensible, 'kay?

------------------------------------
OH, almost forgot. Lots of users on here ask about where they can get contacts from.

Trade me is where I usually get mine, before you say EWW. There are some users on TM that are contact lens stores that sell through Trade Me so they are new and safe. If anything just check their feedback. Some have links to their websites.

Users I've bought from:
Jason289
wiluan

Overseas/Online stores:
candylens.com
momolens.net
https://www.facebook.com/ZYLsociety/
http://www.lensvillage.com/

If anyone to can recommend more users, I can post them here for future ref. for others.

By Pyro. 28/01/11, 05:08 pm

Just going to add to this!!

If you drop your contacts in the sink/on a countertop/etc while putting them in, DO NOT CONTINUE YOUR ATTEMPT RIGHT AWAY. Put them in solution and wait a while (I think the minimum is like 30 minutes or so? I may be wrong-- but it is a decent amount of time) for any debris to come off before trying again. Otherwise you'll get dirt in your eye.

I did this once.

Here's a summary of the experience.

UBFCIREQHVGOSRNBOGSNGVOUGFTRSNBIVJBGRIUBVJGRSIJKVBGRSIUHFIUAVBFIASN

so yeah.

Also, if you see colours on the edge of your vision when you put them in, that's normal, just give them about half an hour and your eyes'll adjust to them. If the discomfort of that is getting to you, wearing sunglasses can help make your eyes feel less painfuuull!

Likewise, if they're in the wrong spot on your eye when you shove them in, blink a lot and they'll eventually settle onto your iris. Patience. Very Happy

Aaand finally, always put the plug in the sink if you're applying contacts while in the bathroom. s-in-c can explain in detail why this is important, but you can all probably guess easily enough. Money wastage, cry cryyy.

By Rikki-Leigh. 28/01/11, 07:15 pm

I has something to add as well >> Concerning astigmatisms.

I have astigmatism in both eyes so both my eyes are oddly shaped. So whenever I wear contacts, my pupils aren't centered and when my pupils are... bigger (too sleepy to remember the word) the top of my vision is often tinted the color of the contact (or goes the colour of the contact depending on which type of printing is on the contact).

Just a note to say that it can happen and astigmatisms have the chance to not sit properly on your eyes.

By Rosenquarts. 29/01/11, 05:05 am

I have a rare eye disease. This in turn means I can't use contacts till i'm 21. So if you can't use contacts till a certian age I recomend you use them when you have reached that age.

otherwise it will hurt like a bull frog

By SoulessPuppet. 29/01/11, 07:02 am

Lovely guide.
I'm just hoping that trademe sells prescription coloured contacts for horrible eyesight. OTL

By Koemix. 31/01/11, 05:20 am

thank you for this ^^
i'll definately get the optomitrist ones though,
(due to my horrible eyesight and my parents wont let me buy off trade me ors )

By UsagiCosplay. 30/07/11, 10:49 am

um, here in Hamilton you can buy circle lenses in pretty colours from the pharmacist a little up from the Victoria cinema. (they also have pretty patterns like flags and stuff), but they are about $20-$30 a pop, and the circle lenses are only basic colours. (good if you want your cosplay to look more natural.)
hope someone finds this useful. ^_^

By Le_Saboteur. 30/07/11, 11:56 am

I will be having my first brush with contact lenses later this year. THANK YOU FOR THIS AWESOME GUIDE ICARUS ILY.

By Kotorigaro. 02/10/11, 11:12 am

You can get very nice coloured contacts (both non-prescription and prescription) from quicklens.co.nz. I recommend the FreshLook ColourBlends, I've worn contacts since I was 12 and I can vouch for them that they are very nice lenses. nodnod

By le-sange-bleu. 07/11/12, 02:21 pm

I bought some red 15mm lenses from a site called candylens.com. Its a korean company that ships from Malaysia. Before you say eww these were awesome and the most comfortable lenses I've ever worn. I wore them for the full day at armageddon with only a little tiredness. They even give you a hand written thank you card. I would definitely recommend them and it only took 10 days to deliver plus they have cosplay ones like Naruto Very Happy

By RainbowMoonDust. 07/11/12, 03:40 pm

Wow, I wish I had seen this thread before AuckGeddon. So it's normal for contacts to take up to 50 minutes to put in then? Mine took at least 20-30 minutes for each eye! I thought I was the only one! This is normal?! Shocked

It was my second time using contacts, ironically enough the first time I used them, a few years ago I had no problem putting in contacts, it only took a few minutes and was my first time too, not sure what's up with that. Suspect

Okay, I have a few questions now.

1: I suffer from hayfever and allergies and as a result I often get sore/red/dry/irritated eyes. Normally I use eyedrops to relieve these symptoms,
on the day I wore contacts at AuckGeddon, I had dry eyes soI used my eyedrops before putting in my contacts. Is this why they took so long to
put in? How long should I wait after applying eye drops before attempting to insert contacts? I should probably avoiding putting in contacts
altogether if my eyes are sore or irritated right? (I thought it was safe to use contacts that day because my eyes were only dry and not irritated so
I figured I would be ok).

2: Contact lenses should come with instructions right? I ask because I bought a pair of Trade Me, they were brand new and unopened but came with
no instruction manual which I thought was a little strange. Is this normal? This lead to being unsure on how to open the contact lenses bottles
and ripping part of my nail off on the thin metal strip. Not impressed. stare

3: If lenses are dropped on the carpet while trying to insert can I pour a little soloution over them? Or do I actually need to soak them in it for a
while and if so how long?

I think that's everything. Smile

By slinky. 12/11/12, 04:36 pm

@RainbowMoonDust- I think it very much varies from person to person. Although personally, I don't think it should take up to 50 minutes to put in contacts, if it's taking that long you're obviously doing something wrong and need to fix it Razz

If you find it's taking that long it's probably because;

-your finger tips, or around your eye is wet and they need to be dry
-try dampening the contact or your eye, because contacts stick better to wettness
-you're not pulling back your eyelids far enough
-DON'T BLINK

idk, as for your questions

1. Typically if you're eyes are irritated, I would avoid contacts all together for that day. Contacts generally irritate your eyes anyway, cus you know, something is IN your eye and your eyes want to get it out, and on top of yours being irritated already, they would have itched the entire day and that's not nice aha
Though I wouldn't think the eye drops would have been the cause of your problems getting it in. . . it's always a good idea for your eyes to be damp, because then the contact sticks to it better.

2. Uuhhh. If you buys contacts professionally, they come with instructions. I've yet to see coloured one you buy offline do the same XD youtube how to open the bottles?

3. Oh, I've dropped mine before, and just rub solution all over them and stick them back in and nothing has happened :3

By Pura. 13/11/12, 09:30 am

Another, and probably the main reason people have issues putting lenses in is you accidentally bump the lens on your eyelash on the way. If you lens bumps even a tiny amount then it will stick to your finger and not your eye. So you have to make sure all your lash is out of the way.

1: I probably did a really horrible thing and wore contact lenses while I had a mild eye infection at Auckgeddon 8D;; I used eye drops, but only at night after I had taken them out, and in the morning maybe 30 mins before I put them in. And then didn't put eye drops in while wearing them. If you have allergies, maybe dose up on antihistamine the day before and the same day you are wearing them to reduce irritated eyes, and if your eyes are dry then use the contact lens solution as eye drops.

2: Only professionally bought lenses have instructions. Like the clear ones I get from OPSM have instructions, but all the coloured ones I've bought online haven't. I recommend using a knife to wedge the metal seal on the lens bottle off, lol. I've broken my nails or hurt myself so many times with those |D

3: If you drop it on to dirt or carpet or whatever, just give it a good clean (like you do before putting your lens back into the case). Make sure there's no obvious dust or dirt in it and then pop it back in Razz

. If it does hurt really bad then take it out Razz

By eggsincreased. 16/10/14, 06:18 pm

I have no experience in using contacts. It looks so hard to put on. Plus, it takes me an hour or two just to apply eyedrops... But I agree with you. Contacts get you more in character. Especially when you're doing Sasuke or other characters that have patterns in their eyes or have extra ordinary eye color.

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