Are there any natural methods to alter iris pigmentation and achieve lighter eye color?

From the Guidelines

There are no safe or effective natural methods to permanently lighten your iris color. Eye color is primarily determined by genetics and the amount of melanin in your iris, which is established at birth or shortly thereafter. While some people claim that certain home remedies can lighten eye color, these methods are not scientifically proven and could potentially harm your eyes. The study on vitiligo management 1 discusses depigmentation methods for skin, but these are not applicable to the iris and involve chemicals like hydroquinone or p-(benzyloxy)phenol, which are not safe for eye use. In fact, p-(benzyloxy)phenol was banned from use in cosmetics in the EU in 2001 due to concerns about its potential carcinogenic effects 1. Some key points to consider:

• Eye color is determined by genetics and melanin in the iris
• No natural methods are proven to safely change iris color
• Medically approved options include colored contact lenses or iris implant surgery, but the latter carries significant risks and is not recommended for cosmetic purposes
• Putting non-prescribed substances in or around the eyes can lead to serious infections, irritation, or permanent vision damage. The only medically approved ways to change eye color are colored contact lenses (which temporarily alter appearance without changing your actual iris) or iris implant surgery (which carries significant risks including vision loss and is not recommended for cosmetic purposes) 1. For safety reasons, you should never put any non-prescribed substances in or around your eyes as this could lead to serious infections, irritation, or permanent damage to your vision.

From the Research

Natural Ways to Lighten Iris Color

There are no natural ways to lighten iris color that are supported by scientific evidence.

Medical Procedures to Change Iris Color

• Cosmetic iris implants, such as NewColorIris, can change iris color but have been associated with complications like corneal decompensation, elevated intraocular pressure, uveitis, and hyphema 2, 3.
• Photoablative cosmetic iridoplasty using a 532 nm Crystal Q-switched Nd: Yag laser has been shown to be effective and safe for changing iris color, with a high predictability and patient satisfaction 4.
• Iris-coloring soft contact lenses can change apparent iris color but may deteriorate optical quality and worsen contrast sensitivity function 5.

Risks Associated with Light Iris Color

• People with light iris color may have an increased risk of uveal melanoma if exposed to UV radiation 6.
• Light iris color has been associated with an increased risk of eye damage and vision loss due to UV radiation exposure 6.