Why You Shouldn't Change Your Eye Color | Knock Knock Eye 

Well, there goes my dream of awakening my mangekyo sharingan

According to Jewish orthodox law , the eye is actually considered a *vital organ* and treating an injured eye takes precedence over observing the laws of Shabbat. Like other life saving procedures

Here's me, who took YEARS to decide on whether or not to have a heart procedure done to cure my annoying tachycardia that kept me from exercising regularly (I did, went well, and now I'm running regularly)... and then there are these people who think "Huh, eyes are for looks, right?" 😫

"You only get one eye" -dr glaucomflecken 9:27

the piercing of the eye ball sent shivers down my spine

My husband's deaf aunt got PVR in both eyes and she went blind. The ophthalmologists worked like heroes and the patient did everything she was asked to do, to the letter. But it still ended badly. The surgeon said she had retinas like tissue paper. It's such a sad story. Maybe it's not good for a comical channel…she had well controlled cancer for 13 years (the oncologists gave her 3-5) but she stopped chemo when she went deaf-blind and passed peacefully in hospice. May she rest in peace

My very dark brown eyes are fading to a lighter color as I get older. This is a family trait. If I get old enough, they will fade to hazel, like my grandfather’s did.

Wow, I thought you were going to talk about the complications (e.g. corneal ulcers, etc) from pronged wear of the colored contact lenses. I had no idea these other procedures even existed. That is crazy!

doctor, why haven't you gotten a model of the eyeball yet?

Former hospital pharmacy tech here. The one time I got scared about eye injections was the time I heard my hospital had been approved to administer Luxturna and that the pharmacy would be expected to prep it. All of my co-workers and I were terrified at the idea what we might be expected to reconstitute a $500,000 vial of drug. Thankfully, I never had to do it.

wouldn't it be easier to just put contacts in?

waiting patiently for the gonorrhea conjunctivitis episode

Just sitting at uni, taking a break, listening to Dr. Glaucomflecken. Not a medical student or anything, but just a nice voice and interesting stuff.

Commuter checking in, currently on a train from med university, heading home. Listening to someone who genuinely has passion for their speciality is always a treat. Especially if they cant grade you afterwards...

Follow up question: i recently went to the ophthalmologist for an eye exam that required pupil dilating drops. I was told that the affect would wear off after a few hours... After a few days with not much improvement I phoned the practice and was told that this was normal for people with fair eyes (mine are an ever so slightly bluey tinged grey..). What is this about? And why wasnt i warned that , instead of hours, it could be days before i could drive again!

Given that some albinos have light sensitivity because their irises are so light it makes me think if there was a reasonable solution to darkening the eye colour then they'd already be having it! Makes me very sus if a procedure is only available cosmetically when there's a potential medical benefit

Pathologist here! Listening to you while reading slides!

I've had eye surgery twice - once to replace a cornea (I have corneal dystrophy, & will eventually need the other cornea replaced as well), and once for a detached retina. I can't imagine having non-essential eye surgery!

I'm Colombian and I've been around a lot of ophthalmologists (because my corneas are f'd) and i had never heard of the eye colour change surgery. That's wild!

I am half Hispanic but was raised around the white half of my family which included some vocally racist members. The only one with dark eyes while everyone else had light. The amount of times; starting from childhood; I was told “how cool” or “I bet you wish” id gotten ‘light’ eyes. I absolutely despised and felt ugly due to my brown eyes for a long time and I’d say it’s still a weird insecurity deep down that I wish I’d had a different eye color. I’d never mess with my eyes (especially as I have to get my optic nerves checked rather often) however maybe this helps give a little reasoning behind what drives people to these dangerous procedures

I remember hearing of laser surgery that changed eye pigmentation. I don't think it ever got out of testing though. Love your eyes people. You are beautiful, and having working organs is not something to take for granted.

It's always fun to listen to Doc Glauc talk about eyeballs. Seriously though it's interesting and well, listening to a person who really likes their job talk about it all the while getting to learn something is great. Love these episodes.

The way my face slowly scrunched up between minutes 4 and 5 of listening to this...

Getting my left kidney pierced!

1st year residency doctor from the Dominican Republic, love your channel, keep at it!

Personally, I watch your videos while I paint my miniatures. You're both informative and entertaining.

Gonorrhea conjunctivitis? As a full time nurse of 40 years it's been quite some time since that subject has come up. Thanks for putting that thought in my brain and for some reason I can't stop laughing!

Obviously this kind of iris changing is dangerous and alarming and quite frankly I'd never risk it, but I was wondering if you could tell us about colored contacts? I've always wanted to try a different color or a fun cosplay pattern using contact lenses but the warnings about costume contacts are frankly alarming. How can I do it safely? I really enjoy wearing glasses, the only reason I'm really interested is because I think it would be really fun to try out weird colors, like neon green. I'd like to try them out but I don't know how to do it safely.

The tattoos are honestly one of those things where I now 100% would never trust that tattoo artist (or that piercer what was going through their head doing that) after. Like people can do whatever but you have some sort of limits to protect yourself against stupid people.

My SIL, who is half Japanese, half Czech-ish, has dark brown eyes. She wears medium blue contact lenses that look very unnatural. I haven’t seen her natural eyes for twenty years, just those expressionless one-dimensional blue disks. I don’t understand why anyone wants to change the color of their eyes.

I recently went to the ER when I woke up with big black whirlpools in my vision (was vitreous, but symptomatic of a much bigger issue, and if it hadn't happened I'd be in much worse shape). I learned that the response of every single person at the hospital, from battle-hardened triage nurses with their hands regularly inside sucking chest wounds onwards, is terrified of 'eyeball stuff'. 😂 The immediate response of everyone who asked me why I was there was to flinch back, suck in a breath, and say "That's not good!". I started laughing -- I couldn't help it, it was just so funny to me. I wound up going to an ophthalmology clinic the next day and met several neuro-opthalmologists (which was really cool), had a lot of tests done, and we learned that the intracranial pressure in my brain was so high it was putting pressure on my optic nerves to the point that I have some permanent vision loss. The good news is that it's in the overlapping field of view in both eyes, so I only have a weird fuzzy spot in my peripheral vision if I have one eye closed. The very good news is that several MRIs confirmed not only that I do have a brain, but that it's pretty normal as brains go, as a tumour was a major possibility. So I'm on diuretics to keep the pressure low, which also solved my constant headache and the weird throbbing tinnitus (the normal ringing tinnitus sticks around so I always have an audiobook or podcast on), and while my vision has stayed unchanged it isn't getting worse. I totally call that a win. The folks at the clinic were a delight, and they are all huge fans of yours, Doc 😂 It was actually fun, we'd be chuckling over your videos while I was waiting, and they found it endlessly funny that they worked in a "Secret Enclave of Ophthalmologists". So thank you for the eyeball talk, the videos, and for being you! You made what would have been scary and probably frustrating into a funny experience over the course of a year, something I could understand and something I've been able to easily share since. That and I've had the joy of sharing your videos with my own doctors, and got to make my GP laugh until she cried with some of Surgery's antics.

I enjoy all the steam of consciousness that goes along with the topic of the day.

Lo, and behold - I was diagnosed with demodex blepharitis! Gotta say this creeped me out! Doing the Xdemvy drops twice a day, and it darn well better get rid of them because it is NOT a cheap Rx! Thanks for talking about this and thankful to my new optometrist who actually took the extra step to look for it!

Bed time at 21h45 seems correct for a 38yo…Ophthalmologist. 😆 Really enjoying this format too, your work is awesome!

"You only get one eye" Hmm, doc… Also, a conjunctivitis episode would be interesting, since that word gets thrown at everything that makes your eyes a bit red.

This is what I listen to on my drive, while doing chores, while working, pretty much while doing anything really 😁

You are such a positive voice. Thank you for sharing your expertise and for encouraging people in their natural, inherently beautiful eyes and selves.

"Don't be scared of injections." I can't even suppress my flight reflex for eyedrops. Actual injections into my eye will pretty much only be doable on my corpse.

2 questions - 1) if someone *did* want to change their eye color, is laser depigmentation a better option? 2) can you talk about how albinism affects people's vision?

I find your voice very satisfying to listen to and the way you explain things is very captivating from a Veterinary Nurse who works in emergency and critical care. Yes I listen to you on the way to work deal with it 😂

I legit had no idea that was something you could actually do, and I'm baffled that anyone would think it was a good idea

Hey! I'll have you know i listened to you on my commute *home*, sir!! But yeah it's pretty calming to listen to

My daughter has been home for 3 days with pink eye. She's 7 and was scared of the eye drops. Now she still doesn't like them, but she knows they're helping. She gets to go back to school tomorrow!

I'm listening to this while i do my PT exercises

Well i work in a urology clinic inserting various sizes and types of catheters so yes eyeballs are a nice change of pace.

You popping up in my feed the day after my first proper eye exam is so funny, and the ophthalmologist I saw reminded me of you The eye tests (while I do understand their purpose) just really made me wonder, "Who the heck even thinks of this?!" So, I'm also apparently far-sighted, which make the reading headaches I get make sense, and I'll be getting my first pair of specs in 2 weeks. Just wanna say I love your channel and thanks for teaching all of us around the globe about our globes lol

All this iris talk got me thinking. I work as a physical therapist on a department in orthopedic surgery. Lots of our patient get a fair amount of morphine to get rid of enough pain so they can start getting out of bed and walking. If they get a little too much morphine, often times their pupil gets very constricted, almost to the point that the pupils are just very small dots in the iris. Why does morphine affect the pupil in that way? Thanks for all the eye content! I wasn't too interested in eyeballs before, but with the amount of passion you talk about them makes it really fascinating.

Listening to you while knitting and sewing at job breaks. It's fun to learn about eyes and your videos are relaxing.

Please answer questions about the accuracy of roadside eye tests by law enforcement. Can they honestly tell if you’re impaired? Also what medical conditions can affect those tests.

your eyes, nose, n smile are the 3 things people look at immediately when meeting a person. i dont think any of this will ever change, on a cosmetic surgery standpoint, unless “beauty standards” are demolished. i dont think that will ever happen, but acceptance of everyone sounds like a nice thought.

The saddest thing about people surgically changing thier eye colour is that eye colour can change with age, certain viruses, medical conditions and trauma. The perceived colour of the eye can change according to angles, light levels and direction. I am lucky enough to to have eyes gradually changing as I get older. I was born with the darkest brown almost black eyes, in my 30's they were milk chocolate. In my 40's they were hazel and heading into my late 50's they are green/grey. If I live long enough and continue to lose pigment they may get to the clear ice blue my father had.

9:26 typically we get two actually, well unless you are talking to the cyclops listening.. 😅

Count me in as one of the Surgical nurses who has to turn away during an Enucleation. This video has me screaming, "NO!!". I too don't care for Conjunctivitis, but am glad for modern medicine.

I won't even go in for vision corrective surgery. Glasses are fine. And people out there tattooing and changing their eyeballs for fun. 😭

I’m a 2nd year medical student and I’ve been listening to these on my way home from campus 😂

My grandfather has very severe diabetic retinopathy, among other things in his eyes. He gets shots in his eyes like once a year or so. Also I love listening to this podcast while driving around Uber riders.

My eyes are very important to me, I like them. It is why I don't use contacts, glasses are for me. Plus I can't tell you how many times glasses have stopped something from flying into my eyes. Thank you for the exuberant advocacy for eyes.

I was panicking when I had to have cataract surgery…I liked seeing so it was mandatory! It took a lot of self-talk to get me to trust the ophthalmologist for that surgery…no way would I ever ever let someone fiddle with my eyeball because I wanted to not be blue eyed anymore! 😬

I have "hazel brown/green" eyes most of my family does. The actual color of my eyes varies depending on my mood. Sometimes they are just green sometimes just brown but most of the time they are a mix. One of my sisters has even more dramatic changes from light blue through green and once they actually looked yellow! Never seen her that pissed off again thankfully. Oh and that eyeround site is awesome! Now i know what a glaukomflecken actually looks like!

Never heard of this before! Always interesting, thank you

Dr. Glaucomflecken: Don’t change your eye color please me: *that was an option???*

I wish all docs were like our wonderful Dr.G ❤❤

I was aware of people wearing colored contacts to hide their natural color but I wasn't aware of the surgical options... crazy

isnt there also a laser procedure to change the color of your eyes? To make them more light colored, like, from dark brown to light brown

This is such a new level of crazy. Your eyes are the greatest physical gift you’ll have

I have a friend who lost her eyes to retinitis pigmentosa. When she had artificial eyes made, she changed her eye color. But never do it to healthy eyes.

Just sitting watching this and stop halfway to find out for sure what color mine are. Turns out it is a relatively rare type... But even if you have the most mundane color iris, your eyes can still be the brightest jewels for your significant other, or future significant other.

I love listening to you about eyeballs when I’m doing my stretching exercises

as someone with rather pale eyes, I do sometimes wish they were a different (read: darker) colour- but it's purely a practical reason of wishing I was less light sensitive. photophobia in a world full of LED light fixtures isn't exactly ideal... but it's still better than no vision at all.

I do listen to these while making dinner

My Dad has one distinctly blue eye and one green eye. Never knew how or why. Thanks!

For some time I wanted to have blue eyes. I've got "black" eyes and I'm brown in skin tone so; blue eyes just wouldn't really happen naturally. It's not impossible, it's just I didn't get it. And looking at people with not normal blue eyes but the people with REALLY REALLY naturally bright light blue or aquamarine eyes; just something about it is so magical and magnetizing. It's so appealing. And I want it but I also realize from other parts of my life that... The grass isn't always greener on the other side. But just thinking about it, it's appealing. You have people gravitate to you purely because of yours eyes and how enchanting they are. Like uh.... Robert J Oppenheimer for example or Brittany Snow or Anderson Cooper or Alexis Bladel who has the most amazing snowy blue eyes... Ugh I love it. But that's what I mean, it's so appealing even though I know it's just not a good idea to try and get and even if I did have it; I'm sure it would have its own challenges.

My immune system likes to eat my irises. My pupil has looked like a clover, a cat eye, and a David Bowie eye.

Honestly, I look forward to this every week. 8:30 Was that Lady Glaucomflecken that walked by in the mirror in the back?

Hey Dr Glaucomflecken, could you do a podcast on general health tips for eyes? Eg. how to relax your eyes when they are strained and so on. I know there are a lot of tips online but it’ll be great to hear the most updated ones from you

Last fall, I had cataract surgery, am so happy and grateful to have my sight back. Cannot conceive that one would subject themselves to this very risky questionable cosmetic surgery for something so trifling as altering eye color.

I didn't know you even could do this other than with contacts. Gives me the willies!

Thanks!

I'm actually a psychotherapist and listened to this on a friday night hanging up my laundry 😅 because when the mental shitshow of the day is done, I actually enjoy learning about the physical monstrosities the human body is capable of

I’m in the 2% club! Green eyes. But I’d trade my eye color for 20/20 vision!

I heard over a decade ago about some procedure that will take the pigment out of your iris and make them blue, rather than implants.

This beats listening to radio ads all cold. So much better to learn about eyeballs!

Just..... they make contacts that can change your eye color? That you can take out. Why surgery? Ow

Correct me if I'm wrong please, but doesn't aging can slightly affect the iris' color? I'm asking out of curiosity since we produce less melanin with age.

Listening 'cause I couldn't fall asleep. You have a very calming voice and all my worries have been supplanted by worrying for the people who might choose to do this 😅

Woooot! I've got green eyes with partial heterochromia! If only I had a nickel for every time someone asked me, "Did you know your eyes are different colors?" (I'm not kidding. This is how it's always phrased.)

I have dark brown eyes. Always wanted blue. I’m in my 40s and just grateful I can see

I like my natural eye color. It’s like a grey blue.

Hi Will, I've just read the other day that melanoma could be originated from the eye, not just from the skin (Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 44 (11), 4651-4659, 2003.). Can you talk about that type of cancer? What's the role of the iris in that disease?

Please tell me i was not the only healthcare professional who had a visceral reaction to the thought of eye tattoos and piercings? Also, the shudder, goosebumps, and nausea from those thoughts come from a multi-tattoed, multi-body pierced nurse who got physically ill at the thought of eye piercings and eye tattoos? I'm only 5 min in, and you got this nurse talking with all the other nurses she knows and works with about this... *4th wave of shudders and nausea hits* I've seen some gross infections and wounds in my 15yr+ career, many resulting from tattoos and piercings. Anyone debating such things should keep in mind the cost of surgical incision and drainage by an eye surgeon, as general surgery won't touch the eye unless it's direly emergent and no eye specialist is available... As a nurse who has had to change wound packing 2-3x daily after the I&D and/or wound debridement, it's very uncomfortable for the patient and i cannot imagine measuring and packing a wound in an eyeball... what an awful thought to do wound care like that on an eyeball! Please don't tattoo or pierce your eye balls. If you want a different color eye, get colored contacts from a reputable source. Must be reputable to decrease risk of getting contacts that are not sterile. You don't even want to put dirty contacts on your eyeball for risk of infections, let alone creating an eye wound by tattoo or piercing. Remember, a tattoo is technically a soft tissue wound already and antibiotic resistant staph infections are far too common. Staph is naturally occurring on every millimeter of skin and is looking for any opportunity to get into soft tissue through the skin, which is your largest organ and first line barrier to opportunistic infections. The moral of this post is that I've seen some gnarly wounds in my day, and seriously, just leave your eyeballs alone, please?!?! The financial burden of infection is high, and you risk not just financial costs but also losing vision or losing your eyeball itself.

Oculomotor nerve controls only constriction of the pupil. Sympathetic nerve fibers control dilatation.

nearly spat my hot chocolate out with the last comments about burning eyeballs

So no “ Witcher Eyes “ ? … oookkk ( sad Charlie Brown walk away) ( Witcher Eyes- yellow cat like eyes based off the books and video game character Geralt of Rivera)

I have blue with a touch of green, but the rest of my siblings have/had brown eyes. I say had, because as children they had full brown eyes and then it was like the colour “split” into a green-brown kaleidoscopes. Actually I think my eyes did the same thing, just much less obvious because of the lack of pigment.

When you do the Horner’s syndrome episode, please talk about the outcomes of when it occurs alongside brachial plexus birth injuries following a traumatic birth and how that might affect a person differently than someone who has congenital Horner’s syndrome

As a computer programmer for (mumble) years, I react to feeding medical records into AI the way you do to people getting eyeball piercings. (I react to eyeball piercings the way Eben Byers' jaw reacted to Radithor health drinks.)

That’s how you say ‘conjunctiva’?!?! This is a 🌈✨ moment for me.

Talk about irregular astigmatism sometime. I found out it usually happens because of injury but my eyes have never been injured. I have irregular astigmatism in both eyes and it took seeing 7 different eye doctors/ specialists before someone finally told me why glasses weren't working. One doctor actually told me if his glasses Rx didn't work then there had to be something wrong with my brain. Then the neuro- ophthalmologist said my brain was fine and i just needed glasses. I kept insisting i could see multiple images out of one eye even with glasses and no one said anything about irregular astigmatism or how to address it until doctor #7.

I was born with optic nerve hypoplasia & would love to learn more about my own body weirdness :-)

As a pathologist, there are only two parts of the body that weird me out... toenails and eyeballs. Putting anything near an eyeball gives me serious heebee-jeebees.