Eye Color Change

Eye Color Change Surgery in Birmingham, AL

Explore permanent and cosmetic options — with full knowledge of risks and benefits.

People all over the world have a desire to change their eye color (altering their iris color) for aesthetic purposes. Although eye color change procedures exist, they are not widely available for two reasons:

  1. Few eye surgeons have the training and technology to perform eye color surgery. We offer advanced eye color change procedures for eligible patients at Young H. Choi, M.D. Eye Surgery Center in Birmingham, Alabama, but only those that are technically feasible and safest, where possible.
  2. Eye color change surgeries carry risks and important considerations—even when performed by renowned experts like Dr. Choi, who is certified and voted one of America’s top ophthalmologists by the American Board of Ophthalmology.

Before you schedule a consultation for eye color change surgery candidacy with Dr. Choi, please review this general guide to the surgery options, the risks, and other important considerations.

What Is an Eye Color Change?

An eye color change is a unique cosmetic modification that alters the appearance of the iris’s hue, but not all involve changes to the iris itself. Currently, many procedures are not FDA-approved for cosmetic reasons and remain controversial among ophthalmologists. ¹

Eye Color Change Methods & Trade-offs

Although few are safe, approved by the FDA, and sanctioned by experts in eye health, many methods have been devised to change eye color.

Today, the most common practices to change eye color include keratopigmentation (AKA KTP; this is essentially professional corneal tattooing) and two surgical procedures: iris implant surgery and laser depigmentation.

  • Iris Implant Surgery
    This surgical approach to eye color change involves placing a synthetic iris implant inside the eye.

    Iris implants are only FDA-approved for patients with iris defects (injuries or birth defects in which the iris is lost or never completely develops). Although patient cases with iris defects are still at risk for complications with iris implants, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) says that the “benefits of gaining an iris may outweigh the risks” for them, but that the same can’t be said for individuals who undergo the procedure simply for cosmetic appearance, which is not FDA-approved². Thus, many ophthalmologists will not implant prosthetic irises for cosmetic reasons due to the high risk².

    Experts warn of this surgery’s risk for severe complications like uveitis, endothelial cell loss, glaucoma, corneal damage, cataract formation, and even vision loss in some cases.
  • Laser Iris Depigmentation
    In this surgery, the goal is for patients to have their once dark eyes changed to blue.

    Here’s how it works: A laser is used to gradually lighten brown eyes or dark green eyes and turn them blue by removing their surface pigment; brown eyes get their rich color from a pigment in the iris called melanin. This procedure’s removal of melanin from brown eyes creates blue eyes because blue eyes don’t actually have any pigment in the irises, but instead appear blue when light reflects onto them.

    The long-term safety outcomes of laser iris depigmentation surgery are still largely unknown, as there is limited long-term, peer-reviewed data on it. What we do know is:

    • Post-procedure pigment fading is not always uniform, which means patient satisfaction is also highly variable.

    • Many ophthalmologists believe that laser iris depigmentation can form an accumulation of excess natural pigment floating in the eye, posing a risk of serious problems. These risks include the development of uveitis (middle-eye layer inflammation) and even glaucoma, a disease characterized by excess intraocular pressure that can render patients blind³.


  • Keratopigmentation (KTP)
    Cosmetic keratopigmentation (KTP), also known as corneal tattooing or eye tattooing, involves tunneling into the cornea’s stroma layer of a patient’s eye(s) with a femtosecond laser and injecting colored pigments to change the natural eye color. When performed by qualified professionals in ophthalmology (not tattoo or body modification artists), this innovative technique is the most thoroughly researched, successfully reproducible option of the three we discuss in this guide.

    Risks for keratopigmentation procedures include possible pigment migration, gradual fading, infection, or corneal damage⁴.

Who Should Consider Eye Color Change Surgeries (and Who Should Not)

When consulting potential patients seeking eye color change surgeries, our ideal candidates are those with healthy corneas who are fully informed and realistic about the risks involved.

If you present with any of the following contraindications in your consultation, you are unlikely to qualify for any of the eye color change procedures we can perform:

  • Existing eye diseases, like glaucoma
  • Prior eye surgeries (e.g., LASIK surgery)
  • Weak endothelium
  • Risks, Complications & Long-Term Considerations
    Because this is a high-risk cosmetic procedure, patients must understand the potential complications:
  • Short-Term Risks
    For all three of the eye color change procedures we explored in the previous sections, short-term risks include inflammation, pain, light sensitivity, and infection. At Young H. Choi, M.D. Eye Surgery Center, we strive to help patients prevent what we can of these short-term complications with detailed after-care directions and personal instruction on how to complete them.
  • Mid-Term / Long-Term Risks
    Even after you’ve made it past the initial recovery period of your eye color change surgery, there are still some mid-and long-term risks to consider, especially if you had an iris implant procedure, which has the most known risks. These risks include glaucoma, cataracts, corneal decompensation, pigment migration, implant failure, and even irreversible damage.

    To mitigate risks, ensure that only ophthalmologists are among those you contact for potential eye color change surgery, whether it’s cosmetic or for an iris defect¹.

What to Expect After Eye Color Changing Procedures — Process & Recovery

After Surgery


In the days immediately following eye color change surgery, you will likely experience some eye discomfort along with dryness, redness, and sensitivity to light. To mitigate the severity of these symptoms, Dr. Choi’s office will give you detailed post-op instructions; this often includes applying specialized eyedrops and protecting your eyes from the sun with dark, UV-blocking sunglasses.

Healing Timeline


Most patients recover within several weeks when carefully following Dr. Choi’s detailed after-care instructions and complying with long-term monitoring requirements. Attending post-operative check-ins at our office is usually mandatory. For long-distance patients who live outside Birmingham and must go home after surgery, we will determine alternative arrangements for monitoring.

Cosmetic outcomes vary depending on the method chosen. We can help many patients achieve permanent eye color change, but some may experience fading over time.

Hear From Our Patients

Another surgeon did one of my eyes—it went very bad. Eyesight was like wearing a pair of different glasses for each eye. I had to see a specialist for three months, then was highly recommended by another doctor to see Dr. Choi. He told me in our consultation, ‘I am going to fix your eyes!’ I’ve been going through not being able to see since February of this year. He did the surgery this morning. I walked out seeing better than I had for the past six months. It’s only going to get better! I cannot thank you and your wonderful staff enough”

– S.G.

Results truly amazed me. I now have 20/20 vision, thanks to Dr. Choi. I highly recommend his services.”

– C.A.

There is nothing but positive things for me to say about Dr. Choi. I appreciate his knowledge and skills as a physician and surgeon. Dr. Choi has a great reputation and came highly recommended to me. Once he became my doctor, I understood why. His credentials are impressive, but more than that is his compassion and genuine interest in me, the patient. As he was highly recommended to me, I would in return have no reservations in recommending him to family and friends.”

– A.

Dr. Choi is an Amazing Doctor. He performed keratopigmentation on me and I am amazed by the work he did. Dr. Choi & his team have a very warm heart that they make you feel at home. I am truly Satisfied!”

– Z.V.

FAQ

Why Choose Young H. Choi, MD for Eye Color Change?

  • We lead our patients to make informed decisions emphasizing transparency, a safety-first approach, and comprehensive patient education.
  • We also practice careful candidate selection with personalized evaluations. If we have any reason to believe an iris color change surgery is wrong for or incompatible with a patient seeking it, we will let them know they did not qualify and give a sufficient explanation as to why.
  • Dr. Young H. Choi is a board-certified ophthalmologist by the American Board of Ophthalmology, has over 15 years of advanced ophthalmology experience, and has been voted as one of America’s top ophthalmologists in Southeast Alabama. Click here to read more about Dr. Choi’s skills, specialities, education, training, awards, and recognitions.

Considering an Eye-Color Change Procedure?

At Young H. Choi, M.D. Eye Surgery Center, we require all patients seeking eye color change surgery to have a thorough consultation with Dr. Choi to determine eligibility. He emphasizes transparency, safety, and education, so you can make an informed decision about your long-term eye health. Contact us to schedule a consultation with Dr. Choi to discuss your candidacy and risks and learn the right options for you.

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Sources

  1. D’Oria F, Abu-Mustafa SK, Alio JL. Cosmetic Change of the Apparent Color of the Eye: A Review on Surgical Alternatives, Outcomes and Complications. Ophthalmol Ther. 2022 Apr;11(2):465-477. doi: 10.1007/s40123-022-00458-2. Epub 2022 Jan 21. PMID: 35061240; PMCID: PMC8927577.
  2. American Academy of Ophthalmology Issues warning on the dangers of Eye Color-Changing Procedures. (2024, January 29). American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/newsroom/news-releases/detail/academy-issues-warning-on-eye-color-procedures
  3. Laser surgery to change eye color untested for safety risks. (2015, April 7). American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/news/laser-surgery-to-change-eye-color
  4. D’Oria, F., & Alio, J. L. (2025). Surgical Techniques for cosmetic eye Color Change: A Narrative review. Ophthalmology and Therapy, 14(8), 1685–1694. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40123-025-01177-0 
  5. Queiruga-Piñeiro, J., Parra-Rodriguez, T., & Rodriguez-Una, I. (2022). Long-term complications of cosmetic iris implants. BMC Ophthalmology, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-022-02650-1

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