--- title: "People Are Getting Their Eyeballs Tattooed" description: "An unusual treatment that involves permanently changing the color of their eyes through an unusual cosmetic surgery procedure is soaring in popularity." date: "2024-11-20" modified: "2024-11-20" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/eye-color-tattoo" categories: - "Developments" - "Health & Medicine" tags: - "cosmetic surgery" - "eye" - "eye disease" - "tattoos" --- # People Are Getting Their Eyeballs Tattooed ![An unusual treatment that involves permanently changing the color of their eyes through an unusual cosmetic surgery procedure is soaring in popularity.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* An unusual cosmetic surgery procedure that involves permanently changing the color of your eyes using tattoos soaring in popularity. As the [*Wall Street Journal* reports](), experts are warning that the procedure — called keratopigmentation, or corneal tattooing — could leave lasting damage. The procedure involves cutting a donut-like tunnel into the cornea of the eye. The surgeon then widens this tunnel and fills it with a special dye that immediately and permanently changes the color of the eye. Conventionally, the procedure has been used to correct a cosmetic disfigurement from an injury or disease, as [*The Guardian* reports](). For some patients, the procedure can reduce glare following corneal damage. But as the *WSJ* reports, European doctors began injecting dyes for solely cosmetic reasons in the 2010s. "I see it as an enhancement," New Jersey resident Jason Jimenez, who underwent the procedure, told the newspaper. "People get their teeth done, they get implants and Botox. If it’s something that could make you happier, make you look better — then why not?" The US Food and Drug Administration [has yet to approve]() keratopgimentation as a procedure in the US. But that hasn't stopped surgeons from finding workarounds: some are using lasers designed for vision correction off-label and buying dyes from companies overseas where they're certified, the *WSJ* reports. Earlier this year, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) [issued a public warning]() on the risks of eye color-changing surgeries, including "damage to the cornea that can lead to cloudiness" and "leakage of the dye into the eye." Other patients have reported an increased sensitivity to light, according to the *WSJ*. "No surgery is free of risk," AAO clinical spokesperson JoAnn Giaconi in a statement at the time. "With purely cosmetic surgeries on the eye, it’s just not worth the risk when it comes to your good vision." Instead, patients seeking to change the color of their eyes should resort to far less invasive options, such as colored contact lenses, the AAO advises. **More on cosmetic procedures:** *[Expert Warns of Grim Consequences of New Cosmetic Surgery Trend]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()