California inventor develops new 20-second laser procedure that turns eyes blue

California inventor develops new 20-second laser procedure that turns eyes blue
'People like the depth of a light eye'

BY Nancy Dillon
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS



WANT TO turn those brown eyes blue — permanently?

A California inventor says he has developed a new 20-second laser procedure that will turn brown eyes blue, without damaging vision, for around $5,000.

Gregg Homer, founder of Stroma Medical in Laguna Beach, Calif., told the Daily News he’s already tested the irreversible cosmetic treatment on about 12 volunteers in Mexico, safely removing small patches of brown pigment from at least one eye in each subject.

The dramatic switch is possible because all brown-eyed people have blue-looking orbs under the layer of dark pigment that covers each iris, he said.

“People like the depth of a light eye,” he told The News, citing a company poll of 2,000 patients that found 17.5% would seek the treatment. “Eyes are the windows to the soul, and a light eye is like an open window.”

His plan is to test the full procedure in both eyes of voluntary subjects in about a year, he said. Stroma then hopes to market the treatment outside the U.S. — probably Mexico, Canada and Europe.

Maybe Johnny Depp with brown eyes. Or Salma Hayek?

Homer, a former lawyer who developed the technology with a team of ophthalmologists, is concerned more with safety than celebrity. “We’re testing way more than we need to,” he said. “We could have done everything in a year, but we didn’t want to risk harming any clinical patients.”

Prospective patients should be able to visit a doctor’s office, undergo a quick eye scan and see a rendering of themselves with the predicted shade of their underlying blue eye color. If they opt for the procedure, they’ll sit in front of what look like giant binoculars and watch a 20-second animation as a computer-guided laser breaks down their brown pigment, he said.

“You won’t feel anything,” Homer said. “Your eyes will get a little darker for the first week. Then in two to four weeks, they’ll be completely changed.”

He said he has “no doubt” he’ll get FDA approval in the U.S. — in about three years.

Supernova wrote:Is there a reason he had to go to Mexico to find volunteers?

Like I said before, sounds like Josef Mengele rising from the dead.

Hyacinth Girl wrote:


Yeah, I immediately thought "Hitler tried to do that. . ." as soon as I read the first post. Be happy with the eyes you've got, because at least you can still see out of them!

Supernova wrote:Is there a reason he had to go to Mexico to find volunteers?

Like I said before, sounds like Josef Mengele rising from the dead.

Jason B. wrote:Until this guy comes up with a treatment that turns blue eyes brown, I'm calling him bigot.