Eye Color Change Surgery

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How is Eye Color Change Surgery Done?

There are a variety of reasons why some people often wish to explore themselves in different eye colors.  A gorgeous brown-eyed person may long for stunning blue eyes and vice versa. A relatively trouble-free way of giving your iris the desired hue is to use colored contact lenses. 

 

On the other hand, a more permanent step towards changing iris color is called eye color change surgery. This is a relatively new technique that many people, including some celebrities have already opted for. There is a catch though. Eye color change is a controversial surgery and the chances of complications are way too high. 

 

Eye color changing surgery is not yet approved by regulatory agencies like the U.S FDA and hence is in restricted use in many parts of the world including the US and UK. People travel overseas to get this procedure done.  

Different techniques

In eye color change surgery, either of these two techniques is employed to alter the patient’s iris color:

  • Iris Implant Surgery 
  • Laser Eye Color Change Surgery  

How Does it Work?

This is the more traditional method of changing iris color. Here, silicone implants are placed over the iris through a small cut made in the cornea. The process involves making three incisions over the cornea with sizes ranging from 0.5 to 2 mm. Through this opening, the artificial silicone implant is instilled into the eye and placed over the patient’s real iris.

 

Iris implant surgery is a quick technique. It only requires a surgeon about 10 minutes per eye to complete the procedure under local anesthesia. However, recovery isn’t as swift.


Iris implant surgery was originally intended to treat traumatic eye injuries or conditions such as heterochromia, ocular albinism, aniridia, and coloboma. Nowadays, it is increasingly gaining popularity among people who want to change their iris color for cosmetic purposes.

How Long Do Iris Implants Last?

Iris implants are permanent. Nonetheless, ophthalmologists encourage patients to go through yearly checkups to make sure that their eyes are doing well. During follow-up visits, tests such as corneal cell count are performed.

Risks of Iris Implant Surgery

The risk of iris implant surgery often outweighs the benefits. Moreover, there is evidence to suggest that people who have undergone cosmetic iris implant surgery are more at risk to suffer from its complications. The worst-case scenario involves complete loss of vision.

Possible Complications of Iris Implant Surgery

These include –

  • Inflammation and swelling in the eye
  • Light sensitivity
  • Blurry vision
  • Severe infections
  • Corneal edema
  • Corneal injury requiring a corneal transplant
  • Early-onset cataracts
  • Blocked eye drain 
  • Glaucoma
  • Loss of ability of the pupils to dilate
  • Partial or total blindness

Laser Eye Color Change Surgery

How Does it Work?

A US-based company called STRŌMA Medical Corporation has devised a non-invasive technique of using low-energy laser beams to change eye color. In STRŌMA laser therapy, pigments are removed from a layer of tissue in the iris, called the stroma. Loss of pigments lightens brown eyes to the color that the patient prefers, such as hazel, grey, blue or green. According to the company, 3 or 4 sessions are required for the desired change in eye color. After the therapy, it takes about 1 month to bring out the final color of the iris. 


Unlike iris implant surgery, this procedure is non-invasive, painless and no recovery period is required. As of now, the STRŌMA procedure is going through safety trials and awaits U.S FDA approval. Therefore, it is not publicly available as yet.

Risks of STRŌMA Laser Eye Color Change Surgery

Although laser eye color change surgery seems relatively safer compared to the iris implant procedure, some ophthalmologists have raised some red flags. While speaking to CNN in 2015, Dr. Saj Khan, a UK-based ophthalmologist, has raised concerns that pigments released during this procedure may end up clogging the drainage channels inside the eye. This may precipitate the onset of glaucoma. 

Who Cannot Undergo Eye Color Change Surgery?

Eye color change surgery is discouraged for cosmetic purposes. Apart from that, people with the following conditions cannot undergo eye color change surgery:

 

Recovering from Eye Color Change Surgery

The recovery period duration largely depends on the condition of the eye prior to the procedure. As the expected period of recovery varies on a case-by-case basis, your doctor will tell you when you can expect to resume your regular activities. If there are no complications, this can take about a few weeks.

What to Expect During Recovery?

  • First 24-48 hours: The eye may feel gritty, itchy, or scratchy.
  • First few days: Sensitivity to light
  • First 1 week: Blurry vision

 

During this phase, your doctor may ask you to wear a protective eye patch while sleeping. Your prescription will contain several medications including antibacterial and lubricating drops.

Estimated Cost of Eye Color Changing Surgery

The cost of Iris implant surgery ranges between $5000-$7000 in the US and about £7000 in London, UK. However, in these countries, this procedure is only done if there is a medical indication. The cost of eye color-changing surgery is about $7000 in Iran. In Turkey, eye color change using Laser therapy costs about 5000 euros. However, STRŌMA Medical Corporation warns patients against laser therapies offered overseas.   

The Bottomline

Although iris implant surgeries are crucial for people with a traumatic eye injury or iris pathologies, experts believe that choosing this process merely to change eye color is a big call. Enhancing eye color using colored contact lenses is always an option. Besides, some natural ways can be adopted to attain a desirable iris color. With permanent eye color change surgery, too many risks are involved, and it’s wiser to avoid it without a definite medical indication.

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