Corneal Pigmentation Procedure Developed for Therapeutic Purposes, Cosmetic Treatment Costs 17 Million KRW... Ophthalmological Society Warns "Complications May Occur"
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 17th (local time) that surgery to change the color of the iris is gaining popularity in the United States.
Jason Jimenez (39), a real estate agent living in New Jersey, underwent this surgery last month and changed his brown iris to a light gray. The attending physician, Alexander Movshovich, used a laser to create a donut-shaped tunnel in the outermost transparent layer of his cornea and filled it with pigment. This surgery, called corneal pigmentation or corneal tattooing, was completed in about 30 minutes.
Movshovich, an ophthalmologist originally from Russia, is currently one of the few doctors performing this surgery in the United States. He is also the first doctor to perform this surgery for cosmetic purposes rather than medical reasons in the U.S. In the first year after opening his clinic in Midtown Manhattan, New York, in 2019, he performed surgery on about 15 patients. This year, the number of patients is expected to be around 400. The cost of the surgery is $12,000 (approximately 16.7 million KRW) per procedure. It is not covered by insurance.
This corneal pigmentation surgery was originally developed to treat patients with corneal or iris damage caused by infection or trauma. Although technology has been developed to remove some pigment after surgery, it is not possible to return to the original iris color. Since the 2010s, experimental surgeries for cosmetic purposes have been performed in Europe.
In the medical community, many view performing this surgery on people with healthy eyes as irresponsible. WSJ pointed out, "Many doctors warn that this surgery has not been proven safe and may cause ongoing damage," adding, "While the benefits may outweigh the risks for patients with corneal diseases, there is insufficient evidence to justify it for healthy individuals."
A study published in the Cornea Journal in 2021 reported that among 40 patients who underwent corneal pigmentation surgery for cosmetic purposes, 12 experienced temporary photophobia. Five patients had pigment fading or color changes. One patient who had previously undergone LASIK vision correction surgery experienced corneal thinning and bulging.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology warned in January that cosmetic corneal pigmentation surgery can cause "serious risks of vision loss" and complications such as photosensitivity, bacterial or fungal infections. The safest way to brighten the iris, the academy stated, is to wear contact lenses prescribed by a doctor.
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