HOUSTON – Jennifer Zellem is no stranger to glasses and contacts. For her, they're a daily necessity. Even so, she considers her eyes her best feature and loved the thought of enhancing them.
Ophthalmologist Barry Kay recommended a new kind of contact lens called Define.
"Fun is the word here. We're having fun, and the patients are excited about it," Kay said. "I think the best description (is that) it takes your natural eye color and basically enhances it."
Define actually acts like a liner for the iris.
"So it makes the eye appear bigger and, in some cases, even whiter," Kay said.
The lenses have been around in Asia and Europe for a couple of years, but are just catching on in the United States. You don't need a corrective prescription to wear them.
"The beauty of it is the center is clear, so your pupil is not interacting with it at all," Kay said.
Define lenses come in three intensities: shimmer, shine and sparkle. They vary depending on eye color.
Zellem said after trying them, she is hooked.
"The color is just so much more rich, and they look greener, and they play with the light," Zellem said. "I think they make my eyes look bigger, too, because they're so deep and rich, and I like that."
The Define lenses are disposable and cost about $2 a day. So far, they've been more popular with women, but men can certainly wear them as well.