The eyes are the windows to the soul. Or at least that’s what the famous adage says. What it does not clarify at any time is that, if you are not happy with the picture window with which you have come into the world, you can go to a specialist to exchange it for another. You don’t like your brown eyes? No problem, wear some green or gray ones. That you want a look of stunning aquamarine blue but you were born with brown eyes, the color we share between 55 and 79% of humanity? The same. It’s all a matter of saving enough and going under the knife.
It may sound like science fiction, but in the US there are those who are doing the same thing, artificially changing their eye color. And it doesn’t come cheap. It costs them more than 10,000 dollars.
Don’t you like your color? Change it. That phrase would not be of much interest if we were referring to hair, nails or even the skin of the arms, legs or torso, now that the blackout gains strength in the world of tattoo. In this case, however, we are talking about something different: the eyes. In the same way that there are those who go to the hairdresser to turn their brown hair into platinum blonde or reddish hair, more and more people go to specialized clinics to alter their corneas and inject them with a special pigment. Same as with hair. Although in those cases the change is irreversible.
With you, keratopigmentation. This is what the procedure that allows you to change the color of your eyes is called. In reality, it is not a new practice, nor is it used only so that aesthetic clinics can make money with it. Roughly speaking, the keratopigmentation It involves using a laser to alter the cornea, the transparent membrane under which the iris is located, and injecting a colored pigment into it. Hence the technique is often also called ‘eye tattoo’.
After the operation, the pigment stains the transparent cornea and covers the natural color of the iris. Just because keratopigmentation is being performed for purely aesthetic reasons does not mean that it does not also have therapeutic applications. For example, the Spanish Association of Ophthalmology (SEO) itself explains that pigmentation is used, in a “more limited and reduced” way, with patients who have small defects in the iris that cause double vision or photophobia. Also for aesthetic reasons in certain people with opaque corneas of amaurotic eyes.
Not suitable for all budgets. Not everyone is willing to go to a clinic and have their corneas manipulated with lasers and pigments to feel more handsome. And the truth is that the operation is not affordable for everyone. The Wall Street Journal dedicated a few days ago an article to the ‘eye tattoos’ in which he left two pieces of information for reflection. The first is that in New York they pay up to $12,000 per surgery. A quick search shows that in Spain there are those advertise the service for a little less, although without going below the four figures.
The other data has to do with use. Although the information of TWSJ suggests that it is a minority practice, also reveals that it is increasingly widespread in the country. For his article, reporter Dominique Mosbergen interviewed what is supposedly the first ophthalmologist to offer aesthetic keratopigmentation in the US. He set up his clinic in Manhattan in 2019, and during the first year he treated just a dozen and a half patients. This year it is on track to operate around 400.
In Spain the practice is popular enough to have attracted attention (and alarms) of SEO and general presscon some patients especially media.
Click on the image to go to the tweet.
But… Why? There are as many responses as there are users, but the common denominator is usually always the same: they are not satisfied with the eye color they were born with. “I see it as an improvement. People get their teeth fixed, get implants and Botox. If it’s something that can make you happier, make you feel better, why not?” comment to TWSJ Jason Jiménez, a real estate agent who changed his eye color just a few weeks ago. She entered the clinic with brown irises and left with a light grayish hue.
The diary speaks from another young man who asked to have one of his eyes dyed, so he was left with one brown and one blue. The reason: emulate the heterochromia of his Siberian husky. Another woman, Lucia Inman-Valero, a 36-year-old artist, admits that she was looking for aquamarine eyes that would make her stand out. “I don’t want them to look natural,” recognize. Last year he went to Movshovich’s clinic twice to have them pigmented.
Not all are ‘eye tattoos’. No. Keratopigmentation is not the only option for those like Jiménez or Inman-Valero who want to change their look in the most literal (and chromatic) sense of the expression. Another relatively common technique is depigmentation of the iris, which uses the laser to burn the iris pigment so that the eyes acquire a bluish hue.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) remember that there is another technique, with iris implants, approved by the FDA for patients who, due to an injury or congenital defect, are missing part or all of the membranous disc of the eye. The procedure is quite different: the surgeon makes a small opening in the edge of the cornea and inserts an artificial iris that unfolds into the eye and covers the original color.
But… Is it safe? The million dollar question. TWSJ cites a doctor who began performing cosmetic keratopigmentation in Los Angeles at the beginning of the year and claims that there are no reports of patients with infections or vision loss, at least among those who had not been subjected to it before. lasik eye surgery. But the truth is that both SEO in Spain as AAO in the US They have raised their voices to warn of the risks of this type of intervention, whether with laser or iris implants.
Your message is very similar here and there. Keratopigmentation entails risks that can be assumed in patients with vision problems, but the big question is… Are they worth it for a person with good vision for pure aesthetics? “Do not think that these surgeries do not carry risks,” warns Dr. Giaconi, spokesperson for the AAO. “No surgery is risk-free. In the case of purely cosmetic eye surgeries, it is not worth taking the risk if you have good eyesight.”
“Serious decompensations”. SEO is even more emphatic. In a communicationor launched in May precisely to warn of the risks of keratopigmentation (Flaak), remember that there is evidence of patients who underwent surgery and ended up with “serious corneal decompensations that have led to the irreversible loss of their transparency”, which has led them to corneal transplants. “It shows that it cannot be considered a safe technique exclusively for aesthetic purposes.”
It is not his only warning. The Society of Ophthalmologists prevents about the peripheral loss of visual field, the difficulties in performing deep examinations of the eye or the problems that the pigment can cause when the patient gets older. For example, he points out that if you have to undergo surgery for cataracts, retina or any other intraocular intervention, the doctor who performs the operation will have difficulty appreciating the ocular structures, “considerably increasing the risk of the intervention and complications.” ”.
Add and continue. The organism is cutting. He advises against color changes with laser and pigment, remembering that “there is not enough scientific evidence to support the safety and effectiveness” of these interventions, and even goes further: the result can also be artificial since, precisely, the tinted color is not It has “sufficient depth” inside the eye, so the sensation at the end is “similar to that caused by colored contact lenses.” Something similar is proposed by the OAA, which even published a list of possible “risks and complications” of both keratopigmentation and iris implants.
In the case of cosmetic surgeries to implant irises speaks of the danger of loss of vision, blindness, sensitivity to light, glaucoma, corneal lesions or cataracts. In the case of keratopigmentation, sensitivity to light, uveitis, infections or even a final result that can disappoint the patient, with “dye leaks”, “uneven distribution” of color or loss of tone because the paint ends up leaking.
Images | Alexander Grey (Unsplash) y Tao Yuan (Unsplash)
In Xataka | The color you see when you close your eyes exists and has a name: Eigengrau
Considering the potential for irreversible damage to vision, should elective eye color change surgeries be subject to stricter regulations or even bans until long-term safety data is available?
## Open-Ended Discussion Questions Based on the Article:
This article explores the growing trend of elective eye color change surgeries and the potential risks involved. Here are some open-ended questions to foster discussion and explore different viewpoints:
**I. Motivation & Aesthetics:**
1. The article mentions individuals seeking eye color change for purely aesthetic reasons. Do you think changing your eye color simply for appearance is justifiable? Where do you draw the line between acceptable cosmetic procedures and potentially harmful ones?
2. The article highlights the influential role of social media in popularizing such procedures. How do you think social media platforms and influencers impact our perceptions of beauty and body image?
**II. Safety & Risks:**
1. Both the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the Spanish Society of Ophthalmology warn about serious potential complications from these procedures. How do you weigh the desire for aesthetic enhancement against the potential for irreversible damage to vision?
2. Knowing the risks, would you personally consider undergoing elective eye color change surgery? What factors would influence your decision?
**III. Ethics & Regulation:**
1. The article suggests that more research is needed to determine the long-term safety of these procedures. Should these surgeries be more tightly regulated or even banned until further research is conducted?
2. Do you think cosmetic eye surgery procedures should be treated differently than other types of cosmetic procedures? Why or why not?
**IV. Alternatives & Acceptance:**
1. The article briefly mentions colored contact lenses as a less invasive alternative. Would you consider alternatives to permanent procedures? What are the pros and cons of each option?
2. Should societal beauty standards be more accepting of natural variations in eye color? How can we promote body positivity and challenge unrealistic beauty ideals?
**V. Future Considerations:**
1. As technology advances, what ethical dilemmas might arise with future eye surgeries aimed at enhancing vision or appearance?
2. How can we ensure that individuals making decisions about their health and appearance are well-informed about the potential risks and benefits of these procedures?
