White eye contacts are some of the most striking contact lenses out there. Thereʼs nothing subtle about these lenses, which makes them the perfect finishing touch for cosplay or costuming, especially for inhuman (and often terrifying!) characters.
There are a number of different styles of white eye contacts, from standard-sized lenses that white out the iris and sometimes add further colors or patterns to your look to full scleral lenses that cover the entire surface of the eye. Whatever the style, white lenses are what is known as "plano" lenses, or lenses intended for cosmetic purposes only.
They wonʼt provide any correction to your vision, though because some styles of white out contacts cover the pupil as well as the iris, you might find they impede your sight a bit. Youʼll want to practice wearing them before you turn up at your costume party or convention!
Like most plano contact styles, white lenses range in appearance from naturalistic to downright impossible. Full white-out lenses can provide the filmy appearance of cataracts or otherwise damaged eyes and immediately indicate a characterʼs blindness.
Plain white out contacts are made using several different techniques, some of which use a mesh to limit vision impairment, while others provide better coverage for close-up photography.
But of course plain white contacts arenʼt the only options! There are lots of other styles available, and some are even more unnerving. Look for lenses that add splashes of red, swirls of black, or even a catʼs eye pupil to the whited-out background.
Whatever character youʼre looking to create, white lenses are a fantastic way to tie the look together and really bring your costume to life.
Ideas and Inspiration for Styling Your White Contacts
One of the best things about white contacts is their versatility. They can be used for all kinds of cosplays as well as original costume and makeup looks. Here are a few ideas to get you inspired!
** 1) Cosplay White Contacts
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There are so many specific cosplay characters that work well with white contacts—too many to list them all! But we couldnʼt resist listing a few examples to get those creative juices flowing.
Storm from X-Men
Whether youʼre channeling Halle Berryʼs character from the X-Men film franchise or her comic book counterpart, white lenses are a must since Stormʼs eyes go completely white when she controls her powers of wind and lightning.
Riddick from Pitch Black and Chronicles of Riddick
One of the key elements of Vin Dieselʼs character from this early 2000ʼs film franchise were his eerie silvery white eyes, which allowed him to see in the dark.
Chiana from Farscape
Like many white-eyed characters, Chiana (played by Gigi Edgley) didnʼt have permanently white eyes, but when a series of events left her able to catch glimpses of the future, her eyes turn white with vertical catʼs eye pupils.
Geordi from Star Trek: The Next Generation
Throughout this series, Geordi La Forge (played by LeVar Burton) is most frequently seen wearing his visor, a futuristic device that allows him to see despite being blind. Behind the visor, however, his eyes are cataract white.
Lilith and Alastair from Supernatural
Many characters in this series are noted for unusual eye colors, particularly the demons. Two such characters, Lilith and Alasair, have milky white eyes that are perfect to portray with contacts.
Gyomei Himejima from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Despite his blindness (signified by blank white eyes) Himejima becomes a strong and capable demon slayer in this series.
** 2) General Costume Ideas
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Beyond specific characters, there are also broad classes of creatures and character types that are perfect for white contact lenses.
Zombies
Itʼs almost a given that zombie costumes need white or foggy contact lenses, especially if theyʼve been dead—or undead—for a while. This is supposed to signify the desiccation and damage thatʼs occurred since death, indicating that the creature is very much no longer human. White zombie contacts can be worn in both eyes, or, for an even more unnerving look, try using just one lens. For a gorier look, consider trying out white lenses with added "blood splatter."
Ghosts
Like zombies, ghostly characters often use white contacts lenses to demonstrate their otherworldliness. Sometimes these provide a full white-out effect through the use of white sclera contacts (those that cover most of the eyeʼs surface), and sometimes theyʼre a more translucent look that helps give a faded, dulled look to the eyes, as if the character is peering through the veil of the afterlife.
Oracles and Seers
Another very traditional costuming trope is the blind seer. By losing their sight in the here and now, these characters gain supernatural abilities to see into the beyond, and itʼs often signified through the use of white lenses. Some characters (like the cosplay characters listed above) may use lenses only sometimes, such as when theyʼre channeling powers, so if youʼre using lenses to portray a character over time, make sure you have comfortable, high quality lenses that you can remove and place repeatedly.