Corneal tattoos: Expert talks about the risks involved, precautions, and if it is safe with medical advancements

Getting inked is exciting for many, daunting too, but at the end of the day, passion wins. Some people get inked from top to bottom, but there are many for whom this is not often enough.

Apart from getting a tattoo on the skin, many opt for bizarre spots on the body – the cornea being unimaginable in this case. And most recently, thanks to oculoplastic surgery, corneal tattoos were said to be a possibility. But how safe are these? In an interaction with News9Live, Dr. Abhijeet Desai, Head of Clinical Services at Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital – Borivali, spoke about the advancement and its benefits in case of corneal scares and tattoo making.

The expert said that the development of corneal tattooing with a permanent liner ink is a process that may improve cosmetic appearance.

What are the limitations of traditional tattoo techniques?

Conventionally, corneal tattoo is not considered safe and is likely to result in a great deal of complications. It involves using pigmented powder and inserting it into the cornea surgically. But this might be complicated concerning the desired outcome and the colour options too are limited. The new technique,