Do you need a perscription for colored contacts if you have perfect vision and a!
Question:
Do you need a perscription for colored contacts if you have perfect vision and are under 18?
Answers:
Contact lenses are NOT simply an accessory...I cannot stress that enough...they are not like a purse or a pair of shoes or some type of make-up. Likewise, they do not come in a one-size-fits-all capacity.
Contact lenses are a MEDICAL DEVICE, whether they have an actual correction in them or not. An exam with an Optometrist is IMPORTANT so that they can get the measurements of your eyes so that they can determine which base curve and diameter that you need. Cornea size and curvature vary from person to person and that is why contacts are made in different base curves and diameters.
An exam with your Optometrist will also ensure that your eyes are healthy enough to wear contacts. There are certain conditions that can hinder a person's success with contact lenses.
Since contacts are a medical device, to obtain them safely and LEGALLY, you need a written prescription from your doctor which includes the date of your exam, the date it will expire, the power (or plano if there is no power), the base curve, the diameter, and the brand of lens. This is so you cannot have your prescription filled with anything other than what the doctor has approved you for. And any place selling contact lenses, cosmetic or otherwise, is supposed to verify said prescription with your doctor's office. Your provide them with the info on your prescription (or on the box of the lenses) and you are to supply them with the phone or fax number so that they may verify everything with your doctor's office and if the Rx is not legit, they will not fill it. So if the Rx is expired or you are trying to order lenses that you haven't been fit for, they will deny your order.
The person above me who got their contacts at the dollar store??? You're asking for trouble from improperly fitted contacts...
In a world where we go to the doctor for all kinds of cosmetic surgery from botox to breast augmentation, you'd think that people would go to their doctor when it comes to getting contacts, especially since if you screw your eyes up and lose your vision, there really ain't nuthin' they can do for you...
So in summation...YES, you need a prescription, no matter how old you are, even if they are strictly cosmetic contacts.