The desire to be beautiful has led many to go under the knife. The drive to achieve perfection in beauty has surged cosmetic surgeries globally at an alarming rate. Now, a bizarre cosmetic surgery that could change the colour of your eye permanently is becoming a viral trend in the US, all thanks to a Los Angeles-based ophthalmologist. Dr Brian Boxer Wachler, who has around 3.4 million followers on TikTok and over 319,000 followers on Instagram, specialises in changing people's eye colour permanently. He regularly shares videos showing the before and after results of his work.
"It's cosmetic surgery but for the eyes," the 57-year-old said, as per the New York Post. "If people elect to have breast augmentation, face lifts and Botox, then why not change their eye color as well? If that's what some people dream of having," he said.
The surgical procedure, called keratopigmentation, changes the colour of the eye by injecting pigment into the cornea. The surgery permanently changes the cornea from clear to opaque and covers over the natural iris colour inside. The process takes about 15 to 20 minutes per eye and is typically painless because of the numbing drops.
However, according to the Post, the cosmetic surgery doesn't come cheap. It costs $6,000 (approximately Rs 5 lakh) per eye - that's about $12,000 (Rs 10 lakh) in total.
Dr Brian has touted the procedure to be "very safe". "No loss of vision in healthy eyes without prior LASIK," he said. "Sometimes scratchiness or light sensitivity, but that's temporary," he continued.
The doctor explained that he starts the procedure by using an "advanced laser" to create a circular-shaped tunnel in the cornea. Then, he uses custom-made tools to extend the outer diameter of the channel created by the tunnel to match the natural edge of the cornea for a more natural appearance. Lastly, he injects ink into the channels to alter the eye colour.
The colour change is "instant" and it only takes a day for recovery, the doctor said. Colour options include emerald green, evergreen, riviera blue and Paris blue, but the most popular colours are honey gold, steel grey and olive green, he added.
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Dr Brain said he isn't planning to try the procedure himself, however, he added that he feels very rewarded when he sees how people react to the changes. "After the procedure my patients are amazed. Incredibly happy, sometimes crying with tears of joy," he shared.
On social media, the cosmetic surgery has garnered mixed reactions. "I like the concept however it looks like it needs more work. maybe in the years to come the science will improve the scary ass," wrote one user.
"This is so creepy," quipped another. "This feels so dystopian," commented a third user. "This is scarier than any horror film I have seen," wrote one user.
Dr Brian, however, explained that changing the eye colour can significantly impact self-perception and interpersonal interactions. "Many individuals see their eye colour as integral to their identity and choose to change it for self-expression or to enhance alignment between their inner self and outward appearance. This alteration can boost self-esteem and confidence, particularly if the new eye colour resonates with cultural or familial significance," he added.
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