Name: Keratopigmentation.
Age: First described in the AD150, but not in a way that will entice you.
Appearance: Your choice.
What are we talking about? here? Corneal tattooing.
Have your cornea tattooed, as in your eye? That’s it.
How do you tattoo an eyeball? In the second century, the physician Galen of Pergamum developed a method of incising the cornea with a heated probe and then applying a dye made from pomegranate bark, but they don’t do that now.
How do they do it now? Methods vary, but it usually involves making a donut-shaped incision in the cornea — with a laser or a needle — before injecting the dye.
Who on earth would want that done to them? Keratopigmentation is often performed to correct a cosmetic deformity—corneal clouding, say, caused by disease or injury. Sometimes, it is placed to improve the vision of a damaged iris.
Sounds reasonable. Increasingly, however, people are resorting to keratopigmentation simply to change their eye color.
For fun? To improve their looks and boost their confidence, let’s say.
Can they make any color they want? Within reason, but punters usually change their eyes from brown to something else: blue, green, grey, tappe, honey, sand.
How much does it cost? It depends, but, for both eyes, don’t expect more than £10,000 change.
Any possible direction– Effects? Some, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, include infection, inflammation, sensitivity to light, leakage of pigment into the eye, and vision loss.
Let me weigh that in for a second … The true risk is unknown, as long-term studies of keratopigmentation surgery performed on previously healthy eyeballs have not been conducted.
i see And therefore the procedure is not available for cosmetic purposes in the UK.
Any other downsides worth mentioning? It is irreversible, but also prone to fading over time. And if the testimonial photos on some surgeons’ websites are anything to go by, it makes you look like a copycat.
How come? The procedure does not change the color of the iris; It only stains the clear cornea that covers it, so the effect is very unnatural.
Why would anyone think this is a good idea? Because many TikTok influencers are doing it and recommending it.
People did it on social media because they were having unnecessary eye surgery? of course People ate laundry detergent because people on social media did.
That was years ago. I thought we got smarter since then. I’ve only seen evidence to the contrary.
Say: “Doesn’t it turn my brown eyes blue?”
Don’t say: “To paint it.”
