Want Bigger Eyes? There Are Contacts For That Too

In Asia, they have been popular for about a decade but the western world caught the bug about three years ago, perhaps because of Lady Gaga’s video Bad Romance. We are talking here about circle contact lenses, which make the eyes appear much larger. This is because they cover part of the whites, not just the iris. For a long time, circle contacts could only be bought from Asian stores but approval has now been granted by regulators in the US, Canada, the EU and other parts of the world.

Circle contacts are said to give the wearer a childlike, doe-eyed appearance. Girls and young women outside Asia have learned about circle contact lenses from message boards and YouTube clips, which started a western craze for this type of contact lens. The New York Times has taken a look at the phenomenon through interviews with teenagers, college students, make-up experts, online lens vendors and eye care professionals. The article explains that these lenses are available in corrective and cosmetic versions. Buyers can also choose from a wide range of colours, some of them quite outlandish.

Initially, eye care professionals issued safety warnings and advised that it was extremely important to have a proper fitting, because circle contact lenses did not meet western safety standards. However, as the trend has gathered pace, regulators such as the US Food and Drugs Administration, Health Canada and relevant bodies in EU member states have now certified a wide choice of products.