Why Do I Need a Prescription for Color Contacts?Once upon a time, you could purchase a pair of colored contact lenses without a prescription but today it is mandatory under Federal law for both corrective and “plano” (non-corrective) contact lenses. Until recently, plano contact lenses were considered cosmetic devices rather than medical devices and could be obtained without the consent and care of an eye care professional.
This unregulated attitude about non-corrective “plano” contact lenses created a market place where consumers were often times being sold unsafe products to put in their eyes. Due to an increase in injuries, complaints and a subsequent investigation, the Federal Drug Administration first issued an alert to current and potential customers stating that plano lenses “present significant risks of blindness and other eye injury if they are distributed without a prescription or without proper fitting by a qualified eye care professional."
Even with the FDA stepping up to warn, injuries were still being reported from defective or misused “plano” lenses. Most often the injuries were minor infections or irritations as a result from improper handling and cleaning that could have been easily addressed through education dispensed by a medical provider. However, some injuries reported were more significant such as allergic reactions caused by bad dyes, corneal abrasions as a result of a poor fit, and even create corneal erosion due to a lack of oxygen to the eye.
Finally in November 2005, the U.S. government legislated to align non-corrective “plano” colored contact lenses alongside regular corrective contact lenses as a medical device. Now a potential candidate for colored contact lenses, who wants them for corrective vision or for purely cosmetic reasons, must acquire a prescription from a qualified eye care professional before placing an order.
If you see “plano” color contacts being sold without the requirement of an official prescription, this is an illegal activity that is subject to fines, license revocation and other punishments under the law. Many times you might find this unlawful selling of colored contacts at flea markets, novelty stores and with some unscrupulous online vendors. Rest assured that online resellers of colored contact lenses who require a prescription will offer you a product that you can trust and feel safe to wear.
Quite frankly, you shouldn’t stick anything in your eye without the guidance of a trained medical provider. Your health and well being may be compromised if you do otherwise. If you would like to try colored contacts, simply set up an appointment with an optometrist or ophthalmologist for a lens fitting and vision exam. Even if you don’t require correction, a fitting ensures that you are properly measured for a product that fits your specific eye. This is important because contact lenses are not one-size-fits all, they come in many shapes and sizes with subtle nuances between manufacturers.
Upon obtaining your prescription, most providers will call to verify your information and will then process your order as specified on the prescription. Because prescriptions are often written for a specific brand, you must check with beforehand with your doctor to see if the prescription is flexible to accommodate other brands.
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