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  • Academy Warns Consumers of the Dangers of "Eyeball Jewelry"

    Nov. 22, 2013

    The American Academy of Ophthalmology cautions consumers about the dangers of "eyeball jewelry" implantation, a procedure which originated in Europe that involves the placement of a cosmetic piece of jewelry within the superficial conjunctiva, the thin, filmy membrane that covers the inside of your eyelids and the white part of the eye.

    "The American Academy of Ophthalmology has not identified sufficient evidence to support the safety or therapeutic value of this procedure," said Philip R. Rizzuto, MD, ophthalmologist and communications secretary for the Academy. "It urges consumers to avoid placing in the eye any foreign body or material that is not proven to be medically safe or approved by the FDA."

    Specific risks of undergoing this procedure include:

    • Blindness from severe ocular infection or bleeding
    • Sub-conjunctival hemorrhage (bleeding underneath the clear conjunctiva, turning the white part of the eye red)
    • Perforation/puncture of the eye
    • Conjunctivitis

    Anyone who has questions regarding this procedure encouraged to contact an ophthalmologist — a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of eye conditions. To find an American Academy of Ophthalmology member ophthalmologist near you, visit Find an Ophthalmologist.