I was just introduced to the idea of eyeball jewelry and it seems
appalling to me. I wanted to know what any of you think.
This was written up in the Jan/Feb 07, MASSC newsletter: Eyeball
Jewelry? It was just a matter of time before someone came up with
the idea of piercing the eyeball and inserting a “decorative
object.” The Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery in the
Netherlands developed the platinum implant, offically called Eye
Jewel, in shapes of hearts and half moons. Ophthalmologists insert
the jewels where they can be seen in the white of the eye. the
jewels are placed in the eye’s conjunctiva, a moist, thin membrane
covering the inner eyelids and much of the eyeball’s outer surface.
Many U.S. eye care professionals do not endorse eye jewelry. Reuters
news service reports there’s a waiting list in the Netherlands of
people anxious to receive the implants. And that’s at a cost in U.S.
dollars of up to $1.200. Just think, Valentine Day is just around
the corner, any takers out there?
I had heard about this quite some time ago, the images did nothing
to increase the appeal for me. I just can’t imagine going around
with a ‘speck’ in my eye…that would be very disturbing. A hint of
dust makes me nuts. So all in all - no thanks!
as with any invasive procedure, you weigh the risks vs the benefits.
The benefit in this case is that you relieve yourself of burdensome
cash and for 15 minutes or so you have the next cool thing that
nobody else has.
The risk is that if it goes awry you have complications including
partial or full full loss of vision, maybe forever. Maybe then you
could get a cool, jewel-studded GLASS eye.
This is a fad that has been out for a couple of years-I blogged
about it two years ago actually. I personally have never seen
anyone with it, and I don’t think it’s a fad that will hang around.
Speaking as an ophthalmologist–don’t do it! Platinum has a very
high specific gravity (it weighs a lot) and even small pieces have a
significant mass. It was used for a short time in the late 70’s as
fixation loops on intraocular lenses. The mass was a real problem
leading to tissue inflammation and migration. The conjunctiva is a
totally inadequate support tissue for anything, such an ornament
would require clipping or suturing to the sclera for stability. That
becomes a significant surgical procedure.
Speaking as a jeweler–don’t do it! Ever heard of the legal
profession?
Dr. Mac, suffering from endless clear sunny days in Seattle!
I’m thinking there might be a really huge market for some kind of
eyeball tatooing? Maybe laser Guilloche eyeballs? To accompany
matching tatooed eyelids of course…
Braided nose hair? Nasal dreadlocks? Braided eyebrows? Be really
different and have your eyebrows switched or turned around and moved
to underneath your eyes! Purposely implanted warts and moles,
anyone?