As humans, we are born with a particular permanent eye color based on our genetics but due to the growth in technology and research the possibility of changing the eye color is high, and whichever method you choose to use, knowing the price is an important step to consider. Let us know more about “Eye Color-Changing Surgery Cost”.
Surgically changing the color of your eyes costs between $5,000 to $10,000 and this of course depends on the doctor performing the surgery, his/her skill and experience, the type of eye color surgery, the clinic it is being carried out in, and the quality of surgical materials used.
Methods for changing eye color
When it comes to changing eye color there are several ways to go about it which could be with the use of surgery or without surgery.
A. Surgical methods include;
– Cosmetic iris implant surgery
– Keratopigmentation
– Laser pigment removal
1. Cosmetic iris implant surgery
This type of eye surgery was created to treat patients with a traumatic eye injury and other medically eye-related conditions like Coloboma and Aniridia, it involves folding and inserting an artificial iris made of silicone into a slit made into the cornea and then unfolding it on the natural iris.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) is against using this surgery for cosmetic purposes and it is not approved in the US because of the many risks it comes with. However, other countries carry out this surgery with prices ranging from $5,000 to $7,000 and $6,000 to $10,000.
Risks
Cosmetic Iris implant surgery produces permanent eye color-changing results but it also comes with a concerning number of risks like:
– Injury to the cornea,
– Reduced vision or blindness,
– Elevated eye pressure/ glaucoma, etc.
2. Keratopigmentation
Keratopigmentation or corneal tattooing is another type of eye color-changing surgery that is speedily gaining popularity because of the promising results it shows. It involves using a femtosecond laser to create an intracorneal tunnel and then inserting a special and safe pigment in front of the natural pigment of the eyes, the pigment inserted of course depends on the color of your choice.
This surgery would cost between $3,600-6000$.
Risks
Even though Keratopigmentation has shown positive results in many patients, it still has some possible risks like;
-Dryness of eyes,
– possible allergic reaction to the pigment used,
– Possible Astigmatism, etc.
3. Laser pigment removal
This involves using a low-energy laser beam to pass through the cornea down to the iris to remove some of the dark pigment (usually brown) from the eyes and reveal a lighter pigment which could be blue or green. In this type of surgery, the patient doesn’t have the choice of picking the desired color as that depends on the unique structure of their eyes and the underlying color it possesses.
This surgery has a high risk and it’s not approved by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and many eye health professionals, however, the cost would range between $5,500 to $6,000 depending on the licensed ophthalmologist.
Risks
This surgery also produces permanent results but it comes with severe risks too, they include;
– vision loss/ blindness,
– uveitis,
– Glaucoma, etc.
B. Non-surgical methods include;
1. Contact lenses
Contact lenses are quicker, easier, temporal, and a safer way to change the color of your eyes, these lenses come in three different types which are;
– Opaque lenses; are the most popular kinds of contact lenses because they come in a variety of beautiful colors.
– Visibility: these types of contact lenses don’t do much to the color of the eyes, they have light blue or green marks that help in defining the natural eye color you have.
– Enhancement; these types of contact lenses are semi-transparent and solid in color, they would make your natural eye color stand out by defining and intensifying the edges of your iris.
To purchase contact lenses you would need a prescription first as recommended by the American Optometric Association and FDA, this ensures that what you’d be placing on your eyes is safe and clean.
Conclusion
While you may want to go for a permanent eye color-changing surgery, you should also consider the cost and the number of risks associated with them and opt for a safer alternative like using contact lenses, which is quicker and reversible if the need arises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q; Is eye color changing surgery painful?
A; according to reports from most eye surgical clinics, the procedures are always pain-free.
Q; Can I reverse Keratopigmentation?
A; it cannot be fully reversed but some of the pigment could be removed from your cornea.
Q; Can 2 brown eyes have a blue-eyed baby?
A; this would be possible when both parents are genetically Bb, although the probability is a 1 out of 4 chance.
