Sep 22, 2024 10:00:00

Pointing out that 'eye color changing surgery' entails risks such as blindness

In recent years, with the development of cosmetic surgery technology, it has become possible to

physically change eye color . However, it has been pointed out that such surgery carries many risks, including blindness and other complications.

Eye color-changing surgeries are nothing to blink at – they could leave you blind
https://theconversation.com/eye-colour-changing-surgeries-are-nothing-to-blink-at-they-could-leave-you-blind-237920

Surgeries to change eye color include implants in

the iris , which regulates the size of the pupil, tattoos, and lasers to remove pigments. One example is corneal pigmentation, which involves injecting pigments into the cornea , the clear protective membrane of the eyeball, with a needle. This technique has a long history, with people trying to inject pigments such as soot for thousands of years.

Brown eyes can also turn light blue or gray with depigmentation surgery, which uses a laser to remove pigment from the outer iris. The procedure uses a laser to burn away the pigment and the cells that produce it. Depigmentation surgery cannot change light eyes to dark eyes because it cannot increase the amount of melanin that darkens the iris.

Professor Adam Taylor, from Lancaster University's Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, said depigmentation surgery was originally developed to treat hyperpigmentation in the eyes, and over several sessions the changes are permanent .

On the other hand, it has been pointed out that both corneal pigmentation and depigmentation surgery injure the outermost layer of the eye, which carries

a significant risk of infection . Patients who have undergone these surgeries have reported corneal thinning and perforation , glaucoma and cataracts , photosensitivity , and decreased vision , and in the worst cases, blindness. In addition, some patients who have undergone corneal pigmentation surgery have reported eye pain during MRI scans .

More recently, a method has been devised in which silicone implants are inserted into the eyes to change eye color. However, one woman who underwent this procedure reportedly suffered serious complications and lost up to 80% of her vision. This woman is not alone; many people are reporting similar complications from similar procedures.

Professor Taylor pointed out, 'Surgery to insert an implant into the eye carries risks, including the risk of changing the shape of the eye and the risk of the implant putting excessive pressure on the optic nerve. The optic nerve controls vision, so if the optic nerve is compressed, it can lead to blindness.'

'The short-term benefits of eye colour changing surgery can cost you in long-term pain,' Taylor said. 'If you are considering undergoing these procedures, keep in mind the risk of going blind.' The safest way to change your eye colour is to wear coloured contact lenses prescribed by a specialist .