Of all the features we notice about a person upon meeting them, their eyes are often the first connection we make. But some people just aren't satisfied with the color of their peepers, wishing their dark corneas away in favor of a pleasant shade of blue. Those unhappy with brown eyes may find just what they're looking for: Laguna Beach doctor Gregg Homer has developed a new procedure that can actually convert brown-colored eyes to blue in just a matter of weeks.
The operation itself is fairly straight forward: Using a laser tuned to a special frequency, the doctor actually alters the cells that produce the brown coloration in the eye. After a few weeks, the darker color begins to fade, revealing the blue pigment underneath. As the doctor explains it, the procedure only works for brown-eyed individuals, as they already have a bluish coloration hiding underneath.
According to Homer, the procedure takes just 20 seconds to complete. And because of the large number of people wishing they were born with baby blues, he has already been contacted by thousands of potential clients. Homer and his company, Stroma Medical, have been working on the technology for over a decade, and say it will be available on a consumer basis within three years.
He estimates the procedures will cost about $5,000 each, and as the brown coloration doesn't appear to regenerate, your eyes should stay blue for the rest of your days. Unfortunately, that almost means it's completely irreversible, so if you end up regretting a hasty decision to switch, you'll never be brown-eyed again.
Not surprisingly, the practice has come under scrutiny by some who believe the color of our eyes is somehow more sacred than other parts of the human body — like the bits that plastic surgeons alter every day. There's also the risk that long-term damage may result from the procedure, and without longitudinal research, Homer can't guarantee that problems won't arise down the road. Still, with would-be patients lining up by the thousands, it's clear that some people believe the risk is worth the reward.
The operation itself is fairly straight forward: Using a laser tuned to a special frequency, the doctor actually alters the cells that produce the brown coloration in the eye. After a few weeks, the darker color begins to fade, revealing the blue pigment underneath. As the doctor explains it, the procedure only works for brown-eyed individuals, as they already have a bluish coloration hiding underneath.
According to Homer, the procedure takes just 20 seconds to complete. And because of the large number of people wishing they were born with baby blues, he has already been contacted by thousands of potential clients. Homer and his company, Stroma Medical, have been working on the technology for over a decade, and say it will be available on a consumer basis within three years.
He estimates the procedures will cost about $5,000 each, and as the brown coloration doesn't appear to regenerate, your eyes should stay blue for the rest of your days. Unfortunately, that almost means it's completely irreversible, so if you end up regretting a hasty decision to switch, you'll never be brown-eyed again.
Not surprisingly, the practice has come under scrutiny by some who believe the color of our eyes is somehow more sacred than other parts of the human body — like the bits that plastic surgeons alter every day. There's also the risk that long-term damage may result from the procedure, and without longitudinal research, Homer can't guarantee that problems won't arise down the road. Still, with would-be patients lining up by the thousands, it's clear that some people believe the risk is worth the reward.
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