How costume contact lenses can transform your Halloween costume

Costume contact lenses have been a part of film trickery since the 1950s. These days, everyone has the chance to give their costumes something a little extra, which makes the possibilities for Halloween endless.

Why lenses?

Have you ever noticed that the best Halloween costumes have an eye for detail? The trick to a great costume is getting the whole look just right, but this isn't always easy to do. This is where costume contacts come in. By changing the appearance of your eyes, you complete the disguise. The unsettling effect it will have on your friends is just a bonus.

Can I wear costume contacts if I wear corrective lenses?

One of the great things about high-quality costume contacts is that they come in prescription as well as non-prescription options. If you are a regular contact lens wearer, all you need to do is swap out your regular lenses for a scary Halloween pair.

Eye-catching eyes for simply perfect costumes

Thinking up clever costumes is probably the biggest challenge of Halloween. This is where costume lenses really deliver. The impact of changing your eyes means you can afford to go a little simpler with the rest of your costume.

An example? Zombies. The rise in popularity of zombie themes in recent years means this is an immediately recognisable costume. Matching some torn-up clothes with a pair of white lenses, like ColorVue’s White Zombie Crazy Lenses, can have as big an effect as covering yourself in gore.

Another easy costume option is to pair one of the many animal-eye costume lense options with the matching animal. A black cat costume can be taken to the next level when you wear a pair of yellow cats’ eyes, transforming something simple and sweet into something otherworldly.

Costume contacts aren’t just capable of transforming your Halloween costume - they can also be the inspiration for it. The designs of lenses can also be a good starting point for a stunning costume. Interested in witchcraft? A pair of spiderwebbed lenses is an ideal beginning for a costume that will really stand out. From there you can either select a pre-made witch costume or put together your own: all black and a bit of lace are all you need to fit the theme.

Here are some ideas for costumes with a unique spin:

• Build a mystic costume around a pair of Sauron Eye lenses, letting the creepy vertical slit pupil in your eyes be the finishing touch.
• Pair some Black Screen or Red Screen lenses with an unusual set of clothes. The screen-like dots that will replace your irises will give the uncanny effect of a real-life android.
• Select a pair of lenses that blot out your pupils, like the Electric Blue lenses in the Crazy Glow line. These are a great foundation for a costume that informs people you’re out of this world.

When coming up with a costume design, don’t forget about simple coloured contact lenses. With eyes being so much about who you are, a simple change of eye colour can have a startlingly uncanny effect, especially when using the more unnatural colours available.

Are costume contact lenses safe?

There have been scares over the years involving costume contacts, but that shouldn’t reflect on all costume contact lenses. These incidents occurred when partygoers purchased costume contacts from somewhere other than a reputable supplier or mishandled their lenses.

As contact lenses contact the eye, it’s always vital to make sure they’re of good quality and made by a reputable brand. Buy your lenses from a specialist contact lens supplier (not a costume store) and follow the instructions carefully. If you haven’t had a recent eye test, get one done beforehand to make sure you get the right type of lens for your eyes.

Remember that costume lenses are a fun version of a special medical device. If the lenses are being sold in a party shop, the chance is they haven’t been reviewed sufficiently to be entirely safe.

And don’t forget, always wash your hands before handling your contact lenses.