Experts warn of risky procedures that change people's eye color but could leave you blind

If you've ever dreamed of ocean blue eyes but were born with an eye color that looks more like dirt, there are ways to achieve those baby blues — but experts warn the procedures could leave you blind.

Although genetics determine eye color, not everyone is happy with their natural shade.

The eyes get their color from the iris, which can be brown, black, green, blue, hazel or a combination of these. Genes from a person's parents determine the color of the iris.

However, due to the many possible combinations, it is not possible to definitively predict a child's eye color based solely on the parents' eyes.

Additionally, it is possible for the eyes to change color slightly in the first few years of a person's life, with many babies' eyes darkening over time.

But once a person reaches adulthood and is still unhappy with the color of their eyes and wants to change it permanently, there are three possible options.

But all are invasive, expensive – and not covered by insurance – and some are not approved in the US, requiring international travel and risky procedures.

Dr. James Tsai, president of the Mount Sinai New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, told ABC News: 'These risks can be sight-threatening and may include glaucoma, cataracts and corneal problems.'

Additionally, experts from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, and the Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists strongly advise against permanently changing your eye color due to the risks of infection and vision changes.

Before resorting to dangerous procedures for a permanent change, some people may turn to contact lenses that they can wear to temporarily change the appearance of their eyes.

There are three types of lenses available to change eye color: visibility lenses, enhancement lenses, and opaque lenses.

Visibility options are only slightly tinted and subtly change eye color. Enhancement versions are semi-opaque and can intensify any color desired. Opaque lenses have a fully colored iris, allowing a person to completely change their eye color.

The colors of these lenses are violet, blue, brown, green, hazel and gray. Cosmetic contact lenses require a doctor's prescription.

Those seeking a more permanent – ​​and drastic – eye color change also have three options: corneal tattooing, laser depigmentation, and iris implant surgery.

Although these procedures are sometimes used after an eye injury or medical condition affecting the eye, they are also used cosmetically for the purpose of permanently changing eye color.

Corneal tattooing – officially called laser kerato pigmentation – uses a laser to precisely deliver colored dye into the clear dome at the front of the eye, called the cornea.

The laser creates 'tunnels' in the cornea, into which the dye is then injected. Before the procedure, drops are used to numb the eye. Your head is then strapped into a harness and a device is placed under the eyelids to prevent the eyes from blinking.

Although it does not affect the actual iris at all, the color added to the cornea hides the true color of the iris.

Laser kerato pigmentation is unlikely to cause pain during the procedure, but risks include eye damage, uneven eye color, leakage of dye causing color to fade, piercing the cornea causing it to collapse.

Other risks include vision changes such as light sensitivity, as well as allergic reactions to the dye, inflammation, bacterial infections, corneal ulcers and scarring.

Corneal tattooing is performed by a certified ophthalmologist and is not covered by insurance. The cost for both eyes is estimated at $10,000, and people make a full recovery within a week.

The second method of changing eye color is laser depigmentation, which is used to lighten eye color by targeting melanin, the pigment that gives skin, hair and eyes their hue.

Dark eyes contain more melanin than light eyes.

This procedure takes place over several sessions. Laser beams pass through the cornea and heat the brown pigment on the surface of the iris, revealing the blue or green color underneath.

Numbing eye drops are also used beforehand and people report a virtually painless experience. Because the color change takes several weeks, recovery is slower than with corneal tattooing: it takes a maximum of four weeks.

During recovery, people will experience blurred vision, red and watery eyes, light sensitivity and headaches.

Laser depigmentation is also performed by a licensed ophthalmologist and can cost between $5,000 and $7,000 for both eyes. It is not covered by insurance.

The third and most dramatic way to change the color of your eyes is through iris implantation, in which a prosthetic iris is inserted to cover a person's natural iris.

The technique was originally used to repair iris defects caused by injury, infection or defects, but there has been an increase in the number of people receiving this technique for purely cosmetic reasons.

People can choose from blue, green, brown and black.

For the procedure, a certified ophthalmologist cuts the cornea where it meets the white part of the eyes. A silicone iris is then inserted through the incision and placed over the natural iris.

This procedure carries the most serious side effects, including glaucoma, cataracts, infection, ulcers, scarring, and reduced vision or total blindness.

Recovery can take two to eight weeks.

Iris implant surgery is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for cosmetic purposes, forcing people who want the procedure to travel internationally where it can be performed. It is also not covered by insurance and costs approximately $10,000 for both eyes.

Experts have previously said that Americans often travel to Panama, where some doctors perform the procedure.

Dr. Tsai, who is also a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, has done so before declared: 'Some online discussions say the procedure is safe and claim that “the technology used is similar to that used to treat cataracts.”

'This is both incorrect and misleading. We strongly warn people against cosmetic iris implant surgery.”

In 2014, Tameka “Tiny” Harris made headlines when she revealed she traveled to Africa for the procedure and turned her eyes from brown to gray.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society and the Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists all strongly discourage implant surgery, warning that complications can arise that require additional procedures and increase the risk of total blindness.

In one small study, nine out of fourteen patients who underwent the procedure had to have their implants removed.