Eye color surgery gains popularity as warnings of risks surface

Medical professionals are warning the public after information they consider to be misleading has spread online promoting what is claimed to be success with eye color surgery. That has caused the procedure to apparently gain popularity, but doctors say the negative consequences seem to easily out weigh the benefits in many cases — and that the long term data to trust procedures just isn't there yet.

The FDA has not approved any eye color procedure for cosmetic purposes, Very Well Health reported.

The risks associated with the procedure include light sensitivity, glaucoma, and development of cataracts or corneal disease. Risks also include depression after experiencing the possible negative side effects. Social media videos online mostly show the positive aspects of the results of the procedures and having it done — along with the immediate results — but not the long term effects.

As with many new procedures, it takes time to study any negative effects on the population.

Vision Center reported that color-changing contact lenses are considered to be the safest way to change the color that your eyes appear. As always, it is advised to speak to your eye doctor before placing anything in your eyes or having any procedure done.

The Keratopigmentation procedure is new and only practiced at one operation located in New York City, Vision Center reported.

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Dr. Guillermo Amescua, a cornea specialist at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute — who speaks in a video about corneal infections — said he has seen patients who have experienced serious negative consequence from having iris implants that have damaged their eyes.

Dr. Amescua said one of his patients is now partially blind.

Doctors are urging patients to think long and hard about the risks that are associated with eye color procedures. Many say we don't have any long term data to know how safe the treatments are yet.