As the saying goes, the eyes are the windows to the soul. So what does it mean to wish you were a special color?
Apparently enough people share the need to create a buzzing marketplace for color-changing eye drops, that are making the rounds through social media and online retailers.
Customizing eye color may be tempting, especially for younger people and people who enjoy experimenting with fashion or style elements. But are over-the-counter, color-changing eye drops secure? The answer is a powerful no, in accordance with the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), which recently issued a warning against “eye color changing solutions.”
Why Shouldn't You Try Color Changing Eye Drops?
Color-changing eye drops will not be FDA-approved, haven’t been tested for safety or effectiveness, and might potentially harm people's eyes. AAO warns..
How do eye drops work?
It isn’t clear. The corporations that manufacture the drops claim that the products adjust the extent of melanin within the iris, the pigmented a part of the eyeball. Clearly, the results start to indicate inside hours and might last for every week or more. If a user wants long-lasting results, he has to proceed using the product.
But these claims show a whole lack of evidence that the drops have any effect on the iris, much less the intended effect, says Dr Boland.
“I've got zero explanation of how they work in terms of a viable mechanism,” he says. The ingredient list includes things which might be present in other eye drops or medications and even cosmetics, but nothing that can actually change your eye color.”
How can drops harm your eyes?
The AAO lists several potential safety risks from using these products or every other unregulated eye drops, including:
- inflammation
- Infection
- Light sensitivity
- Increased eye pressure or glaucoma
- Permanent vision loss.
“All those problems are possible, because we have no real idea what's in those bottles,” says Dr. Boland. “The biggest concern is damage to the cornea, the clear front of the eye. If the chemicals in these bottles damage the cornea, you can lose your vision.”
Are there secure alternatives to changing eye color?
Still searching for a technique to achieve, say, Taylor Swift's electric blue eyes or Julia Roberts' golden brown pouts? There is one reliable option, says Dr. Boland: coloured contact lenses. But he recommends selecting this feature with caution.
“Professionally prescribed and dispensed contact lenses are a safe way to change your eye color,” he says. “But don't buy them online. Get them from a reputable source to make sure they're regulated and rated for safety, because contacts can cause eye damage if they're not used properly. Not designed or kept clean.”