BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (2024)

What color contacts are best for brown eyes?

How to find lenses that appear bright yet natural for dark irises

(Pictured above: Isla series contact lenses)

Do colored contacts work on dark eyes?

One of the greatest attractions of colored contacts is the fact that they give you the opportunity to finally have the eye color youโ€™ve always dreamed of. With over 50% of the world having brown eyes, you can be assured that most colored contacts out there are designed for brown eyes. Remember, though, that not all shades of contact lenses go well with the natural color of your eyes. Just because a pair of contacts is colored violet, doesnโ€™t automatically mean itโ€™ll give you Liz Taylor eyes. If your natural eye color is brown or black, the following brief guide should point you on the right track towards choosing the right type and color of contacts.

(Pictured above: EyeCandys Desire series contact lenses)

Why dark eyes need special attention when choosing color contacts

Getting the perfect eye color is like choosing the perfect lippie, the perfect accessory, or the perfect outfit. To achieve a color that suits you best, you must consider two things: your eye color and the opacity of your target contacts.


For light-colored eyes, choosing colored contacts is actually pretty easy. This is because light irises won't mottle the lens pattern like dark irises would. If you want a subtle yet flattering look, you can go for enhancement contacts which provide a good but muted color boost. Enhancement contacts are perfect for creating a level of depth and definition to light-colored irises. The only issue for light-eyed people is if they want to wear a dark-brown shade. Because most dark brown eye contacts (or circle lenses) have the majority of pigment on the border of the lens, the middle part remains relatively translucent or even transparent. Hence, this situation necessitates circle lenses with a thicker limbal ring.

The effect of brown (left) and dark brown (right) circle lenses on light eyes

For light eyes, we recommend our DESIRE series. Some of their colored contacts have been specifically designed to fit light blue, grey or green irises better than circle lenses that are popular in East Asia. This has to do with the area covered by the colored portion of the lens, in relation to a small optical zone (where one's underlying pupil color would peek out). Many photos of DESIRE lenses modelled on light eyes have been taken for your reference - check the slideshow below.

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (7)

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (8)

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (9)

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (10)

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (11)

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (12)

Choosing colored contacts for dark eyes is a totally different story! This is because you always have to consider the fact that the lens (which always has some degree of transparency) will be muddled by your dark iris.

Opaque or semi-opaque contacts are the best colored contacts for dark eyes, especially for those who want to totally switch to a different eye color. This means the lens has more colored pixels per unit surface area. Contrary to enhancement contacts, opaque/semi-opaque colored contacts have higher pigmentation, thereby changing dark eyes even to the even lightest blues or greens.

Whether you want a dramatic pop of purple or grey or a toned down hazel, colored contacts for dark eyes can be just as versatile as you want.

The Ideal Eye Contacts Colors for Brown Eyes

Grey Contacts

If you donโ€™t really want to go all-out in changing the color of your eyes, but simply want to jazz up your look a bit, this may be the best choice for you. Whatever shade of brown your eyes are, gray is sure to look good on them. Even better news is that it matches all skin tones and hair colors as well.

With the popularity of this color, there is an increasing number of designs available. Grey contacts come in various opacities (e.g. transparent, tint, opaque), tonalities (2, 3 and even 4 tones) and even wear modalities (dailies, biweeklies, monthlies, yearlies) to boot! The best grey contacts for brown eyes, in our opinion, are those which have mid to high opacity and have 3 or more tones, like Mirage Grey pictured here.

Blue Contacts

If you were born with brown eyes, but always wanted to have a pair of baby blues, then youโ€™re in luck. Blue is actually one of the top choices of colored contacts for brown eyes. The resulting look depends on how dark your natural iris is and how opaque the contacts are:

  • If your eyes are a dark shade of brown or almost black, and you choose light blue lenses, this will give you the appearance of having dark blue-brown eyes.
  • If your eyes are a lighter shade of brown and you wear bright blue contacts, youโ€™ll appear to have sea blue eyes.

Baby blue contacts on light brown eyes will give you Taylor Swift-looking eyes. Which, of course, go perfectly well with that "red lip classic thing that you like."

Green Contacts

This is another top choice of color for people with brown eyes, especially if you want to achieve a mysterious, alluring look. The good thing about green contacts is that they look very natural when worn on brown eyes, since most green patterns have specks of yellow or beige to deliver a smooth transition, especially towards the centre (the pupil).

The Ideal Type of Colored Contacts

What if you want to have eye color other than blue, green, or gray? Well, then, youโ€™d best go for opaque colored contacts. Unlike tinted contacts, opaque lenses are the best colored contacts for dark eyes. This type of lens is typically patterned with 3 or more tones, ensuring your underlying eye color doesnโ€™t show through at all. Opaque lenses cover your irises almost entirely, with only the center (pupil hole) left uncovered so you can still see. With this type of lens, you can make your eyes as dazzling as you want them to be. Try fun shades like pink, violet or purple contacts.

Showing the difference between enhancement tint lenses vs opaque contacts (like Rio Brown-Violet above)

Contacts to Avoid

There are lenses known as enhancement contact lenses. As the name suggests, theyโ€™re meant solely to enhance your natural color. This type of lens typically doesnโ€™t come in brown. Although wearing enhancement contact lenses in another color wonโ€™t necessarily hurt your eyes or make you look weird, they might not give the color payoff you're seeking, since they arenโ€™t really designed to cover your eye color. Enhancement contacts will just tint your eyes, which is why they're more suitable for lighter irises (e.g. blue, grey, green).

Brown doesn't have to equal boring!

Remember that brown eyes can be a beautiful thing. The majority of the world has dark eyes! Why? Because theyโ€™re gorgeous! But we understand - just like you with pin-straight hair may envy the curls of your wavy-haired pal while she is constantly jealous of the time you are spared with a flat iron - sometimes, we just want what we canโ€™t have.


And sometimes, we crave a little enhancement. You can play with various shades like beige, hazel and honey contacts. These contact lenses will lighten up your eye color without looking too made-up. Perfect for those who like to remain low-key, but want to see a visible difference.


You can even make enhancements while still letting your natural colors show through. Circle lenses can add definition to the outside of your iris with a limbal ring. You can make your eyes look larger for a doll-like effect or create a more clearly defined iris and add a remarkable shine.. Try out a tri-color lens to add just a hint of texture and dimension, similar to adding highlights and lowlights to your hairstyle.


Whatever shade of colored contacts you choose, make sure they match your personality! This means you should take into consideration not only your skin tone and hair color, but also the makeup and clothing that you enjoy wearing. A unique outfit needs an equally unique pair of eyes to match! A bit of experimentation may be needed for you to find the perfect pair of colored lenses. What's most important is that you have fun while doing it!

How to read your prescription?
Do you need one when buying color contacts?

Getting color contacts for the first time might spring up questions: Should you get a prescription first? If you don't know your prescription, is it safe to opt for non-prescription contacts?


For US residents, eye prescription is a requirement when purchasing contact lenses as regulated by the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumer Law (FCLCA). While having a prescription is not as strictly regulated in other countries, having your eyes checked and securing a prescription is always a good idea before getting contacts.


Getting your prescription is easy but deciphering the numbers and letters could be like cryptography! To have better grasp of the basics of your eye prescription, here's a quick list of eye parameters you need to know:

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (18)

  1. OD - also known as oculus dexter; refers to the right eye
  2. OS - also known as oculus sinister; refers to the left eye
  3. Sphere (SPH) - amount of lens power that indicates nearsightedness or farsightedness; a positive value indicates farsightedness (hyperopia), while a negative value indicates nearsightedness (myopia)
  4. Cylinder (CYL) - indicates presence of astigmatism; if the column is left blank, it means either a slight amount or an absence of astigmatism
  5. Axis - a constant co-present value with CYL that indicates the orientation of your astigmatism in relation to the curvature of your eye; values range from 1-180 (a 000 value is the same as having a 180 value)
  6. Add - the magnifying power required to correct focus for distance correction; indicates magnifying power for reading, progressive and bifocal lenses
  7. Pupillary Distance (PD) - indicates the distance from the center of one pupil to the center of the other pupil. This is only needed for glasses, not contact lenses; therefore, it may be missing from your Rx.

Glasses and contact lens differences

If you are lucky enough to be someone who has both glasses and contact lenses, then you may notice some other measurement differences when examining your prescription. For example, commonly there is a cylinder and axis value on a glasses prescription but not for a pair of contact lenses. The only times you may find a contact lens prescription with an axis and cylinder is if itโ€™s a toric lens or multifocal lens.

Since contact lenses are much more delicate and need to fit the eye, there are certain specifications that they have that a glasses prescription will not. With a contact lens prescription, youโ€™ll be able to see the base curve and the diameter. The base curve is simply the curvature of the lens and is on the shape of your eye. The diameter specifies the overall size of the lens.

Vertex conversion chart for contact lenses

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (19)

So, with so many differences, how can you possibly find a way to change your glasses into a pair of contact lenses without having to go through excess testing? Thatโ€™s when a vertex conversion chart for contact lenses comes in. They are extremely useful tools that all eye doctors use when determining how to convert glasses prescription to contacts.

This chart includes different figures for you to compare. The first thing you do is finding out your glasses prescription figures. These are then โ€˜back vertexedโ€™ using the chart to turn them into a figure that allows you to find the correct contact lenses for you.

How vertex conversion charts work

Vertex conversion charts are pretty simple to use. You just have to know where to look and understand what the columns mean. The โ€˜glasses lens powerโ€™ column refers to the power on your current glasses prescription. If this figure is negative, then youโ€™ll be converted to the figure on the left of this column. If the figure is positive, then your converted figure is on the right.

However, many vertex conversion charts only start at glasses prescriptions of +/-4.00D. This doesnโ€™t take into account any powers lower than this figure. This is because the converted power is not much different from your original power. You can get away with using the same power as your glasses prescription when converting to a contact lens prescription. The one exception for this case, however, is when you have an astigmatism.

How do you know what size of circle lenses to get?

Contact lenses are not a โ€œone-size-fits-allโ€ accessory. Circle lenses are a type of lens thatโ€™s encircled by a dark rim and a larger than normal diameter to create a dolly look. To get the size of circle lenses (or any contact lens) that will accurately fit your eyes, take out your latest eye prescription and look for your base curve (BC). As the curvature of the cornea varies from person to person, itโ€™s important to verify whether the BC of a particular pair of lenses will suit your eyeball size. Getting the wrong BC will cause an uncomfortable wear. If your contactsโ€™ BC is higher than your actual BC, it will be too loose and will keep on sliding through across the surface of your eyes. If your contactsโ€™ BC is lower than your actual BC, your eyes will feel drier due to the lack of oxygen flow.

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (20)

Are colored contacts bad for your eyes?

Colored contacts are generally safe for your eyes. However, when colored contacts are bought and used without prescription and proper handling, these may pose adverse effects on your eyes. Contact lenses come in different sizes and specifications, designed to cater to various eye sizes and prescriptions. Since they arenโ€™t โ€œfree-sizeโ€ devices, your prescription plays an important role in ensuring that you are getting the colored contacts suited for your eyes.


Prescription, lens quality, and contact lens care go hand-in-hand to guarantee a safe experience with colored contact lenses. Eye scratches may occur just by using poorly fitting lenses. To protect yourself from unsafe colored contact lenses, certain factors such as the contact lens vendor, brand/manufacturer and certifications (eg. USA FDA, ISO, and CE), and contact lens specifications should be considered before purchasing them.

How many hours a day can you wear colored contacts?

As a general rule of thumb, coloured contact lenses can be worn up to 8 hours a day. Some contact lenses now are specially designed to last up to 14-16 hours, but it is always important to cross-check this with your doctor and with the actual product you have. Always remember to remove your contacts before going to bed. Regardless of what your friends tell, you, sleeping in any contact lenses can cause irritation as well as other issues.

How to use color contacts safely?

Fifty percent of the efficiency and wearability of every pair of contacts depends on you. It is of utmost importance that you adhere to recommended guidelines for hygiene and wear cycles (called compliance). To maximize your color contacts experience, here are basic wear and care tips to keep in mind:

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (21)

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (22)

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (25)

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (26)

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (27)

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (28)

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (29)

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (30)

Are there FDA approved colored contacts?

Health and safety should always be prime priority. Contact lenses produced and developed by reputable manufacturers are the obvious choice. To help gauge the efficacy and quality of contact lenses, include international health certifications from recognized authorities like the FDA (each country has their own national health authority), ISO and CE (European health authority) in your checklist before purchasing. This ensures the lenses were made in factories or by companies that are inspected every year for cleanliness and compliance and are using certified, medical grade ingredients. Of course, such certification is not cheap to manufacturers; therefore, it's safe to say that any lenses being sold at questionable prices come with questionable safety.

Wondering how safe our contact lenses are? We make sure all our lenses have global health approvals. Our Authenticity and Safety promise is stated here.

How much does it cost to get prescription colored contacts? Do they make colored contact lenses for astigmatism?

The standard price of prescription colored contacts mainly varies according to the type of contacts (eg. daily lenses, silicone hydrogel lenses, costume lenses or circle lenses) and the manufacturer/brand. Colored contacts are commonly priced at 24 USD to 54 USD.

Just like how colored contact lenses are priced higher than clear lenses, contacts specifically made to correct astigmatism (toric lenses) are sold at a higher price point than lenses made to correct nearsightedness (myopia) or farsightedness (hyperopia). Toric lenses are usually priced at 49 USD to 70 USD.

Recently, there have been a large number of online marketplaces selling color contact lenses at absurdly low prices โ€“ to the tune of 3-5 USD per pair. We caution you to exercise your own judgment when purchasing lenses from dubious sources. If it feels too good to be true, it probably is. From a manufacturer's perspective, it would be extremely difficult to comply with any safety/hygiene regulation and still make a profit at that price point.

What are the best colored contact lenses brands or manufacturers?

Here are the top 5 bestselling colored contact lens brands to get you started in choosing your next pair:

  • GEO Medical
  • Alcon Freshlook
  • i-Dol/i-Sha/i-Girl
  • EyeCandys
  • Pink Label

Contact Lens Trends for 2024

2024 is the year of natural, young, and fresh looks. Along with the no make-up make-up and the MLBB looks, my-eyes-but-better is hitting the trend. For light-colored eyes, a simple pair of tinted or enhancement contacts can easily do the job. On the other hand, choosing the perfect colored contacts for dark eyes may be tricky especially for those who want to go for blues or greys. To achieve the targeted blue or grey eyes, opaque colored contacts are the best choice, with smaller graphic diameters to mimic the natural eye size.


Here is a shortlist of the contacts trends that exude the perfect au naturel eye look:

No-Limbal-Ring is in

Light brown, natural colors that mimic real human irises

Can I Permanently Change My Eye Color? ๐Ÿง

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (48)

Yes, thereโ€™s a surgery (EEK) for everything in the 21st century! Iris Implant Surgery is a one-time surgery to permanently change the color of your eyes. The procedure was originally created as a treatment for eye injuries and genetic conditions that result in part or all of the iris being missing. It has recently been recognized as an elective cosmetic procedure - which (unsurprisingly) has been a bit controversial.

Iris implant surgery entails inserting a folded artificial iris implant made of biocompatible colored medical grade silicone into a slit made onto the cornea. This silicone implant is then unfolded and adjusted accordingly. This is incredibly invasive and comes with several possible negative side effects and complications.

BEST Colored Contacts for Dark Brown Eyes from 400K+ Customers ๐Ÿ‘ Read this First (49)

This procedure has been performed in Mexico, Central America, Africa, and India has experienced its fair share of backlash due to the unwanted effects some have experienced after undergoing the surgery. In 2018, the United States FDA approved its first ever prosthetic iris: the CustomFlex Artificial Iris, intended to focus on individuals needing the procedure for medical purposes as opposed to purely cosmetic causes.

The surgery is not currently legal or recommended in the United States. US citizens travel to countries such as Mexico, Panama, and India to undergo the procedure. In many cases, it is marketed as a simple surgery, similar to cataract removal. The complications and risks are downplayed giving interested parties a false sense of security.

"This is inaccurate as well as misleading," says ophthalmologist James Tsai, M.D., a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. "We strongly caution people against having cosmetic iris implant surgery."

Possible complications of iris implant surgery include:

  • Moderate to total loss of vision
  • Cataracts
  • Corneal injury
  • Uveitis, where the inflammation causes redness, pain, and blurred vision
  • Glaucoma

A medical company in Laguna Beach, California now offers a non-invasive procedure that uses lasers to destroy the dark pigments of the iris to display a blue hue. While this is preferable to surgery for many due to enjoying fewer risks, it is still a permanent change to the color of your eyes. As for us - we arenโ€™t sure weโ€™re ready for that kind of commitment! If you decide that a permanent change is what you desire, we simply suggest you consider these options carefully so as not to regret the decision later after making an irreversible change - and possibly suffering the effects of complications!

Color contact lenses are available as a much less-expensive, more temporary solution to changing the color of your iris. And you can change your hue multiple times a day! The only limit to the looks you can create is your imagination!

The global market for contact lenses is expected to grow to USD 13.9 billion by 2032 from an estimated USD 5.4 billion in 2022. That is a projected CAGR of 9.92% over the next five years! An increase in the market for colored contact lenses may not sound exciting if youโ€™re not invested in the stock market. But hereโ€™s what it means for you and your gorgeous eyes -- increased INNOVATION! With a growth in the market, there will be more and more options for you to choose from. This means new colors, new styles, and new effects!

We are sure youโ€™ll agree - watching and being the first of your friends to try the latest trends in a growing industry is much more exciting than committing to a permanent change in eye color that could come with several potentially-painful complications and side effects!

Ready for Beautiful Eyes? ๐Ÿคฉ

Let us give you a head start with our finest recommendations below. Adventures await you in the world of colored contacts!

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Take our quiz to discover your new holy grail and stand a chance to win your perfect pair of color contacts!

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