Have you ever felt so adventurous with yourself to the point where you thought of changing the colour of your eyes? It sounds fun right if you are someone who is not afraid to explore, but how safe do you think it is?
Health experts suggest that as much as this process is doable and provides permanent results, it can be risky too. According to Dr Colin McCannel, a professor of clinical ophthalmology, an implant in the front of the eye, which is what the eye colour change surgery includes (whereby a silicone iris is surgically implanted) causes inflammation and damage.
“Pursuing any unnecessary eye surgery is a bad idea, and an implant that is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in this country probably is not a great idea. The FDA protects us against too-risky drugs and devices.”
All About Vision agrees and claims that iris implant surgery for cosmetic purposes may lead to serious eye damage, vision loss, or blindness. “A research article published in 2018 reported that a 30-year-old man had suffered progressive vision loss after getting his eye colour changed through iris implants.
“The vision loss stemmed from glaucoma and corneal oedema (swelling). This case highlights the dangers of cosmetic iris implants and their ‘challenging’ complications.”
Very Well Health states the potential risks of having your eyes permanently change colour, through the laser keratinization method. These include:
- Inconsistent eye colour due to uneven dye distribution.
- Colour fading due to dye migration or leakage into corneal space.
- Corneal perforation causes fluid leakage, vision changes, and “sinking” of the corneal dome.
- Light sensitivity due to abnormal refraction of light off treated cornea’s opaque edges.
- Dye reaction leading to “Uveitis (inflammation of the middle layer of your eye) or corneal neovascularization (the formation of new blood vessels in the cornea.)
- Bacterial eye infection increases the risk of corneal ulcers and scarring.
Also see: How to protect your eyes from blue light
