Strange Medical Eye Procedures

With the constantly evolving medical industry, it is to be expected that some weird and unusual procedures will start cropping up due to patient demand. But just how far would you go for that extra smidge of physical perfection?

In some countries strange medical procedures – especially relating to cosmetic procedures – can actually be quite common, although to the rest of us it may look like pure madness to even contemplate some of these strange eye procedures.

Here is a list with descriptions of some of the most curious surgical cosmetic eye procedures.

Eye Bleaching/Whitening Surgery. Bloodshot or discoloured whites of eyes are usually a sign of some type of underlying health problem. The most common damage may be caused by aggravation stemming from prolonged allergies or exposure to the sun, certain chronic medications or drug abuse, strain or tiredness, and specific eye-related illnesses.
But for some people, discoloured whites have moved past the realm of health concerns into one of a cosmetic nature. As a result, a new procedure was pioneered that could whiten or bleach the eyes to restore permanent whiteness.

One such treatment started in Korea achieves these results by stopping the blood flow to some of the blood vessels in the eyes – which already sounds like an incredibly risky endeavour!

However, because of the high rates of complications, this procedure has been banned in many countries all over the world. Negative side effects could include more redness, irritation, eye ulcers, and even loss of vision in some extreme cases.

Another treatment, known as I-Brite, involves surgically separating the topmost damaged membrane of the sclera from the healthy underlying membrane. The damaged membrane is peeled off and a new undamaged membrane should be generated by our body’s healing systems in about a month’s time.

Doctors and specialists are still not quite decided on the safety and possible long-term health effects of this kind of procedure specifically because of the newness of the procedure and the fact that there is simply not enough data available.

But if you want to whiten your eyes naturally, the two most important things that you will need is: Sleep and Nutrition. Make sure you rest your eyes properly every night with enough sleep and add lots of water, fresh fruits, veggies and Omega 3 fatty acids to your diet, and this will go a long way to helping you keep your eyes shiny and bright!

Colour Changing Implants. In the past, no amount of envy could turn brown eyes blue. But with modern advances in plastic surgery, that option is now available. Pioneered by Dr. Kenneth Rosenthal, this surgery was originally intended to assist with the correction of a number of eye defects. But now the artificial iris implant procedure is also being advertised as a cosmetic surgery option for people who want to permanently change the colour of their eyes. Made from ophthalmic grade silicone this thin prosthetic is flexible enough to be inserted into the eye via a surgical incision. Because of the material and composition of the implant and the very short and safe procedures, there is apparently very little chance of complications, and if they do occur the implant can be removed just as quickly and easily.

Double Eyelid surgery. This one has actually been around for quite a while and is immensely popular in Asia, where the natural Asian facial features often mean that most people do not have a creased eyelid, or “double eyelid”. Owing to the enormous influence of Western culture and physical features, the demand for this surgical procedure has become a huge booming business that has seen Asian countries taking the spot as the top surgical capitals of the world – owing to the large number of surgical procedures being carried out annually. The surgery involves cutting the outer edge of the eyelid creating a resultant creased or “double” eyelid. The procedure also makes the eyes wider and rounder, a feature which surgeons say causes an enormous boost in confidence for the patients.

We are instinctively programmed to protect our eyes above all else – otherwise, how will we be able to spot danger? That is why the very thought of any kind of surgery or procedure to one’s eyes evokes such extreme and cringe-worthy reactions and, after reading about the procedures above, I’m sure that many of you winced more than once!

But, as I said before, people will do strange things to make themselves look perfect and feel better about themselves. The question is; just what are you willing to do to attain that?