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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.
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