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Photo by Bob Pennell Trendy new contact lenses allow Emily Kantor, of Medford, to share the same look as her cat, Pilar. They sell for $99 a set, come in 10 different styles, can be made with or without a prescription, and last about a year. Meow, her eyes seemed to say Cosmetic lenses offer change of looks By MARK FREEMAN On those particular days Emily Kantor feels a bit catty, she turns to a pair of colored lenses to really look the part. The 17-year-old Kantor dons a pair of opaque contacts colored so they match the eerie gaze of her cat, Pilar. Instantly, Kantor has a look right out of the "X Files," and she's ready to scare the bejesus out of anyone who crosses her path. "It's great to look at people's faces when they look at you like you're a freak," says Kantor, of Medford. "I've had people ask if I was possessed," she says. "The answer, of course, is no." But just getting asked the question is the lure of a growing fashion trend focusing on funky-colored contact lenses to alter the windows to people's souls. Colored lenses that make people's eyes resemble those of aliens, zombies or red-eyed maniacs are drawing attention as safer and less permanent alternatives to tattoos and tongue-piercings as a way of saying, "I gotta be me." The lenses are called Wild Eyes, developed by contact lens manufacturer Wesley Jessen Corp. to give the fashion-conscious crowd a chance to alter their appearance one pupil at a time. The contacts are an offshoot from cosmetic colored lenses and movie lenses that companies like Wesley Jessen have sold for years. They sell for $99 a set, come in 10 different styles, can be made clear or in a prescription, and last about a year. A half-dozen eye doctors in Jackson County carry them, but any eye doctor or vision center can order them. Different lenses can make your eyes look like anything from a white pinwheel or an 8-ball to a flower, an alien -- or a cat, which is the top seller. The lenses have caught the eye(s) of consumers, ages 20 to 45, with a few extra coins in their pocket and a desire to stand out in a crowd, says Valerie Palermini, a company marketing manager in Portland. "Some people just want to be noticed," Palermini says, "and they're definitely noticeable." Jeremy Hernandez, 16, of Grants Pass, bought his alien lenses as part of his ever-present attempts at "improving how I look." His alien look turns heads at Grants Pass High School as well as at home, where the freaky eyes are a more palatable accessory than the tattoo and pierced tongue that Hernandez also wants. "It won't happen,' but that's what I want," Hernandez says. "I'm a wimp." Emily Kantor bought her lenses three months ago through her optometrist father, Dr. Dennis Kantor, who first does an eye exam and teaches the patient how to wear and care for the lenses as if they were regular prescription contacts. "It's important people know these aren't a pair of tennis shoes," says Becky Kantor, Emily's mom. "These are things you put into your eyes." Wesley Jessen also discourages people from trading or sharing lenses for two reasons. First, doing so can spread germs and lead to serious eye diseases. And second, it's better for business. The company started the Wild Eyes last year, selling about $5.5 million worth, Palermini says. "We had predicted only $2 million in sales," she says. "That's when we realized, boy, there really is a market out there." Sales are even more brisk this year, with interest peaking for Halloween. "People like the novelty, and it's a way to make a sensational costume out of nothing," Palermini says. "A woman can get cat eyes, dress in black and immediately become Cat Woman." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA