Eye-tattooing: experts warn about risks of colour-changing surgery

Concerns raised as influencers promote pigment-injection procedure as latest cosmetic trend

From butter boards to viral dances, social media has spawned a host of fads, but experts have warned against the latest trend: eye-tattooing.

The procedure, known as keratopigmentation, is a recent development and can be used for therapeutic purposes to improve the appearance of eyes. This can include for people who have been left with scars on the transparent front part of the eye, known as the cornea, as a result of infection, disease or injury, or who have aniridia, a condition where the iris has not formed properly.

However, experts have raised concerns the procedure is becoming a popular aesthetic trend, with influencers posting TikTok videos of them undergoing surgery to permanently change their eye colour – often from brown to blue or green.