Can you see them at all when looking through them? (Never worn contacts)

Those are to show you which way the lens is facing

123 is correct 321 means your contact is backwards

They are so you can tell which side is out. There is a difference in the curve if you wear them inside out.

Yep… Been this way for many years.

"Look at American industry. They put a 123 on a contact lens so when I'm going to place it in my eye I can tell whether it's inside out. Now, why 123 and not ABC? That way, they can export it around the globe and straight to me."

Though my contacts don’t have anything on them, I wouldn’t have thought so. It’s on your eye so far to close to focus on or see

yours and everyone elses. though it does bare to ask the question if someone is not wearing their contacts how can they see those numbers. if they can they probably do not need contacts. I have 20/20 and still had to zoom in to read the numbers on my PC.

Nope, definitely not. They're too close to the pupil and too transparent.