Are Colored Contacts Without Prescription Legal?

It seems like all the buzz right now is about people wondering about how to get colored contacts without prescription. There is some confusion about if a prescription is actually needed or not along with some other questions and things to know. This article will discuss those things.

President Bush signed a law into act on November 11, 2005 that allows the FDA to regulate all contact lenses - including non-corrective, decorative lenses - as medical devices. Here it is in H. R. 371:

"All contact lenses have significant effects on the eye and pose serious potential health risks if improperly manufactured or used without appropriate involvement of a qualified eye care professional.

Most contact lenses currently marketed in the United States, including certain plano and decorative contact lenses, have been approved as medical devices pursuant to premarket approval applications or cleared pursuant to premarket notifications by the Food and Drug Administration (‘‘FDA’’).

FDA has asserted medical device jurisdiction over most corrective and noncorrective contact lenses as medical devices currently marketed in the United States, including certain plano and decorative contact lenses, so as to require approval pursuant to premarket approval applications or clearance pursuant to premarket notifications.

All contact lenses can present risks if used without the supervision of a qualified eye care professional. Eye injuries in children and other consumers have been reported for contact lenses that are regulated by FDA as medical devices primarily when used without professional involvement, and noncorrective contact lenses sold without approval or clearance as medical devices have caused eye injuries in children."

As you can see, getting contact lenses without a prescription, even colored contacts that are non-corrective, is not legal. They refer to colored contacts as decorative contact lenses and they're also sometimes called cosmetic colored contact lenses.

The good news is that it's really easy to get them still. All you need to do is go see an eye care professional and get fitted for them. It's a good idea since you want them to fit right and it's good to get your eyes checked by an eye doctor every now and then. Who knows? You may even need some vision correction, which could help your eyes and make them not be so strained.