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Remember these cosplay contacts tips

The cosplay wave is taking over the whole world as different countries hold their own versions of anime and manga conventions where fans from all walks of life gather to enjoy their favorite hobbies and interests.

With the trend of cosplay effectively spreading from Japan to the U.S., more fans want to make an impression with their cosplay. Now, fans are putting in the extra effort to transform into the very characters they admire. This means going as far as making costumes from scratch, outsourcing help from professionals, getting wigs professionally styled and investing in high-quality makeup.

But when it comes to contest-winning and follower-gaining cosplays, every detail counts – you need to look like a real-life version of a character, along with creative additions that make it interesting. This includes getting their facial expressions right as well. But when you need to make an impact on the audience, the eyes can play a huge role.

A lot of fans don’t consider the importance of cosplay contacts so we’ll discuss why you should invest in them for a great cosplay and other important factors, such as purchasing them from a certified seller.

Visit your eye doctor for a prescription for cosplay contacts

Since not everyone who practices cosplay wears contact lenses or even prescription glasses on a regular basis, it’s important to know the safety of using the right cosplay contacts. When your costume calls for a pair of prescription glasses, it’s a much simpler route.

But since contact lenses have direct contact with the eye, it’s crucial that you take proper steps to have a great cosplay and not damage your eyesight. So our first piece of advice is to go visit your eye doctor. Why? Because you’ll need a prescription.

Get a prescription

Did you know that contact lenses are medical devices that are regulated by the FDA? It’s illegal to sell them without seeing a prescription first, and the repercussions for not selling FDA-approved contacts is even worse.

Once you visit your doctor, you’ll be fitted for contact lenses. This is important even if you have great vision without them. Without a proper prescription, you might get poorly-fitting lenses that can damage your eye.

If you already wear contacts, you probably have a prescription for contacts. However, glasses-wearers will have to make an appointment for lenses with the right strength.

Buying Safe Contact Lenses

If you were thinking of ordering contact lenses online, think again. This can be incredibly risky since you’re not sure if the seller is providing FDA-approved contact lenses. These have a higher chance of causing infections.

Order Them from a Trusted Source

Always choose a reputable vendor with plenty of good reviews before ordering. No idea where to start? Check out cosplay forums on social media to find the best online vendors. Depending on what city you live in, it’s likely that you’ll even find some stores selling high-quality cosplay contacts.

However, the most important thing to check is if the seller asks for a prescription. If they’re selling lenses without checking one, you should find another online store.

The benefit you get from investing in high-quality lenses is mainly that you won’t suffer from eye damage because they allow better oxygen permeability. This factor prevents lenses from hindering your vision.

Wearing Your Cosplay Contacts Safely

If you thought of putting off buying cosplay contacts until the day before a convention, think again. It can be incredibly difficult for first-timers to try on cosplay contacts. Your eyes have a natural defense mechanism of blinking to protect themselves from any foreign object.

It’ll take quite some time for your eyes to get used to contacts. So make sure to buy them ahead of time so you can learn how to wear them and adjust your vision. Most people apply their lenses by looking up and then closing their eyes. After that, they blink so that the lens slides into the right position.

If your eyes can’t get used to lenses, it’s best to let a professional apply them for you before trying again yourself.

Practice Wearing Cosplay Contacts

If you’re a first-timer when it comes to wearing contacts, you’ll need at least a month of regular wear to get used to contacts. Otherwise, you’ll be rubbing your eyes all day and that’ll ruin your makeup.

Even if you’ve worn contact lenses, you should know that cosplay contacts generally have lower permeability because of pigments. It will take a while until you can properly see in them, and you’ll need to lubricate them regularly using contact rewetting drops, so make sure to carry them with you.

Technically, you can wear cosplay contacts for several hours, but you should stick to less than 8 hours because it can tire out your eyes. Once you’ve taken enough pictures and selfies, put them back in the case so your eyes can get a break.

Prepping Contacts

Before you insert cosplay contacts into your eyes, make sure to check for three things – the orientation, tears, and dirt. Before inserting them, rinse out your contacts in saline solution but please, DO NOT, use tap water, which can encourage bacterial growth.

Next, check the edges of your lenses for any tears. Sadly, if you find a tear, no matter how small, you have to toss your lenses. Tears can be very painful and can cause severe problems.

Lastly, make sure that your lens is the right side out. Check this by setting it on your fingertip. It should look like a bowl with a perfect curve. But if it looks deformed, it’s inside out. Nonetheless, you’ll still find it easier to tell the right side out because of the pigment on your color lenses.

Taking Care of Your Cosplay Contacts

When removing your lenses from the new glass jar, you should put them in a case and submerge them in solution so they’re hydrated and don’t irritate your eyes.

Once you’re done wearing cosplay contacts, replace the contact solution and put back your lenses. Each time you take them out, make sure to rinse and rub them with contact solution to get rid of debris. Always place your lens in the case facing down. Always keep a check that your cosplay contacts are fully submerged in contact solution. Otherwise, they can dry out and you can’t use them again.

Since these are cosplay contacts, make sure to keep an eye on them by replacing the solution so they stay hydrated. However, you should remember that this doesn’t mean you can keep them forever. With great care, cosplay contacts can last up to a year, but this is highly dependent on how often you use them, how well you take care of them, and if there’s any buildup.

When storing your cosplay contacts in a case, carefully place the lens for each eye in its respective case. It’s common for first-timers to take off their lenses in a frenzy and put them in the wrong case.

Other Important Factors

Next, we’ll move onto some other factors to know before you buy cosplay contacts.

Don’t Sleep in Your Cosplay Contacts

Falling asleep in regular contact lenses, let alone less breathable cosplay contacts can be detrimental to your eye health. You need to keep the lenses lubricated inside the eye by adding solution regularly. Since you can’t do that while sleeping, the lenses may dry out. This can dry out the surface of your eye and cause considerable damage to vision in the long run.

Avoid Germ Buildup

There are quite a few things a newcomer should remember to avoid germ buildup in their cosplay contacts. For starters, you mustn’t ever share your contacts with anyone, no matter who it is. This can lead to an increased risk of infection. Don’t soak or clean them with water, because it provides a medium for bacteria.

Thirdly, remember to throw away cosplay contacts that have passed their expiration date. It doesn’t matter if you paid a few extra dollars for high-quality lenses and took great care of them, you can never be too careful.

Also, you should change out your lens case on a monthly basis so your cosplay contacts stay clean.

Know When To Take off Your Cosplay Contacts

This should be obvious, but colored lenses are for cosplaying purposes only. It’s best that you don’t wear them on a regular basis, especially if you’re going to moisture-laden places like the pool or a sauna. Keep your eyes closed while using an aerosol spray, if you’re wearing cosplay contacts.

If you’ve gotten used to wearing cosplay contacts but your eyes begin to feel discomfort, don’t settle for it. Don’t compromise on your comfort and take them off to give your eyes a break.

Cosplay contacts are just one piece of a memorable costume

Now that we’ve mentioned all the right tips for buying, using, prepping, and storing cosplay contacts, you’re sure to rock your next anime and manga convention with a killer cosplay. If you need help with your cosplay or looking for a few new cosplay ideas, our blog can offer plenty of tips on makeup, styling, and even a few tutorials on making your own cosplay!