It’s Your Eye Color, Deal With It

HOT TOPIC

We Still Can’t Dye Your Eyes to Match Your Dress, Dorothy

In a recent news release from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the organization sounded the alarm on eye drops advertised as color-changing eye drops. Per the manufacturer, the drop includes an ingredient that adjusts the natural levels of melanin in the iris. What ingredient that is, however, is a mystery, as the packaging appears to lack an ingredients list. These products have become a popular topic on social media outlets, resulting in many American consumers searching online for and purchasing these unlicensed products.

@fancydropsbeauty.de

According to JoAnn A. Giaconi, MD, clinical spokesperson for the AAO, “Consumers seeing these products on TikTok or elsewhere online need to know that they are not FDA approved.” Dr. Giaconi further stated that the ads show dramatic before-and-after shots and vague information on how the drops work to change eye color. “But here’s the reality: There’s no evidence that they do anything at all, and there’s also no evidence that they’re safe.” (Read more here.)

My Two Cents

The FDA has not approved any drop that can change the color of our eyes. It's as simple as that. If a patient asks how they can change their eye color, the only acceptable answer is to use colored contact lenses that are carefully prescribed and fit by an eye care professional. It wasn’t that long ago that we were hearing about new infections from contaminated eye drops nearly every week, so it’s a mystery to me why anyone would risk their health on these extremely sketchy-sounding drops.

OUTSIDE THE LANE

Not Another Celebrity Eye Story!

Elton John recently announced via Instagram that he has been dealing with a severe eye infection that has left him with limited vision in one eye. The 77-year-old musician explained that the infection occurred over the summer and has significantly affected his vision. Despite the severity of the disease, Elton John remains optimistic about his recovery. However, he acknowledges that the healing process is slow and will take some time before his sight returns to normal. He has been quietly recuperating at home and has told his fans how thankful he is for their support and well wishes. (Read more here.)

@eltonjohn

My Two Cents

I did a little research but couldn’t find out what type of eye infection the singer had. Let’s hope he comes forward with more information as the healing process continues, so we can use his experience to help further educate our patients about their ocular health!

CAN YOU RELATE

It’s that time of the year—when the leaves start to fall, the 100˚ weather in Louisiana drops to a chill of 90˚, pumpkin spice everything is back in stock, and football season begins!

Many college football fans—myself included—are in a doom-and-gloom mood, even if our alma mater, the University of Michigan, are the reigning national champs. 😉 Over the past few years, the governing body of college athletics, the National Collegiate Athletics Association, has allowed athletes to control and profit from their name, image, and likeness. This enables them to be paid for their work and sponsored by companies to advertise their products and services. That was the intent of the rule, at least.

Since then, college football has virtually turned into the Wild West, with many college football programs blatantly paying players to come play for their programs in a “pay for play” scenario, which is clearly against the spirit of the rule. Now, some bad actors have taken advantage of a frail/uncaring governing body.

This sounds a lot like the eye care profession right now. As the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rolls out The Ophthalmic Practice Rule (Eyeglass Rule), effective September 24, to “help the public,” all it’s likely to do is put an undue burden on optometrists who follow the rules and take patient care seriously. Meanwhile, numerous online contact lens and spectacle companies blatantly ignore and break the already established laws.

I recently had two patients who decided they would transcribe their own glasses prescription into a multifocal contact lens prescription. Did the online retailer notify them that what they were doing was not the proper way to get a contact lens prescription from the online retailer they ordered from? No. Did I receive a notice from the retailer that my patient was trying to order contact lenses and attempt to confirm the script, as the retailer is legally required to do? Again, no.

Instead, the FTC decided to impose more rules on the rule followers, while their blatant ignorance of repeat offenders continues. At least we’ll have that signed form from our patients acknowledging they received a copy of their glasses prescription that we must keep safe for 3 years legally. Get a clue, FTC!