These days, if there is anything about your appearance that you don’t like, then you can simply change it without further ado.

The trouble is, many of these procedures are not only expensive, they are also permanent.

But there are a few alterations you can make which are relatively cheap and completely reversible within minutes. Eye colour is one of them.

Coloured contact lenses have been around for some time, but have never had the high profile promotion of some of the more sophisticated cosmetic procedures.

They are still very much considered a fashion accessory.

Most of the major manufacturers of contact lenses do coloured versions and it is not necessary to have a sight problem in order to wear them.

Plano (or plain) varieties are purely for appearance, although as Jayne Townsend of Farnham opticians Bartlett and Austin explained, it can work out quite costly if you are not a lens wearer ordinarily.

“Contrary to what a lot of people might think, you do need to have a prescription to wear any kind of contact lens, even a plain one” she said.

“This is because we have to get the fit of the lens correct so they are comfortable and safe to wear.

"So I would first give someone a routine eye test followed by a contact lens test, which together would come out at around £50.

“Of course, if you wear lenses already, then you would have this done as part of your regular eyecare routine, but for non-lens wearers it would be a further cost on top of the lenses themselves.”

Anyone tempted to economise by avoiding this charge would be advised to reconsider.
Ill-fitting lenses are uncomfortable to wear at best and damaging to the eye at worst.

Jayne continued: “People often ask us to order the lenses for them, which is a sensible precaution as we only use good quality, well-made leading brands.

“Even if someone wants to order off the internet, these companies will have to have evidence that the purchaser has an up-to-date prescription.

“If a company did not ask for a prescription, then that should ring some very loud alarm bells.”

Another advantage of buying from an optician is that you will have the opportunity to see what colours suit you by trying before you buy.

“When a person comes to us for coloured lenses, we will test and measure their eyes as a matter of course, and we will then send them out for half an hour or so with a pair of lenses in so they can see how they get on with them,” said Jayne.

“We can also discuss and try the various colours. If they go ahead, once they have their lenses, we show them how to put them in, take them out, handle them and look after them and we follow everything up with regular checks. You won’t get this service from the internet.”

Coloured contact lenses are of the soft type which can be disposed of on a daily
or monthly basis.

Jayne recommends that a person who will only wear them occasionally should go for daily ones, while a regular wearer could opt for monthly.

“Daily ones avoid the storage problem of the lenses,” said Jayne.

As with normal lenses, correct storage and hygienic handling are essential to avoid eye infection. Lenses should be kept in disinfecting solution when not in use.

Choosing a new eye colour can be fun, as there is a wide range of hues available, from subtle enhancers to the seriously wild and weird.

The coloured part of the lens is around the outside so that it covers the iris, while the centre which goes over the pupil is clear, so theoretically your eyesight won’t be affected.

However, occasionally the lens might temporarily move, partially covering the pupil, and at night, when the pupil expands to compensate for poor light, it might again become partially covered.

For this reason, it is advisable not to wear coloured lenses at night for driving.

If you decide not to go for a cat’s eye, spiral or some other wacky design, the choice is between enhancers and lenses that totally change the eye colour.

“Enhancers look more natural,” said Jayne. “And they just improve the eye colour. They tend to work best on lighter coloured eyes, so you could, for example, change light blue eyes to a darker blue or a greeny-blue.

“Ones with an opaque backing to prevent them being transparent will completely obscure the original eye colour and are more suitable for people with dark eyes.”

Colours available go from gentle tints such as light blue or hazel through to strong ones like violet, navy and bright green.

Some lenses might have more than one colour in them or a dark line around the edge, which can give a very dramatic look. 

How bold you want to go depends on your lifestyle and personality, but it isn’t necessary to limit yourself to one colour.

You can swap about, depending on your mood, where you’re going or the outfit you’re wearing.

“Coloured lenses come in packs of ten and you can mix and match the packs in your order as long as they are all from the same manufacturer and for the same prescription,” said Jayne.

But why stop at colour? If you want to add a bit of sparkle, you can even get lenses which contain light reflecting pigments.

So remember, if you’re bored or dissatisfied with the way you look, you don’t always need the surgeon’s knife to make changes to your appearance.