Keratopigmentation is a certified medical technique to permanently change eye color by adding pigment to the cornea. One of the most convincing ways to understand its effects is to look at real before and after photos. This article explains how keratopigmentation works, what results to expect, how to interpret photos correctly, and the safety factors you should keep in mind.
Keratopigmentation is a minimally invasive eye surgery:
Performed under local anesthesia
Takes about 45–60 minutes
Uses medical-grade pigments to change iris appearance
Certified clinics follow strict ophthalmological safety standards
This technique is an alternative to iris implants and laser depigmentation, offering a more predictable and safer outcome.
The first questions before exploring some photos and techniques is to enquire what is the best eye color change procedure? You can read more about the best eye color change techniques.
If eye pigmentation is not new since the 50's some techniques have prevailed until the new Keratopigmentation procedure has changed everything.
You can find below some eye color change photos with non certified and "old" techniques such as depigmentation laser, iris eye color change etc
These photos may look really nice but some are modified thanks to CGI and long term effect photos are unfortunately not released as some techniques are considered as obsolete (ie using laser to depigment your eyes).
In addition to these procedures, remains thousands of available photos online with eye colored contact lenses. There is no need to display all photos but when looking closer one can easily understand the shape of the eye contact lenses or somehow understand the very colour beneath.
It is important to first remind why Keratopigmentation is deemed to be the most secured eye color change procedure.
As you may find, and will find a lot more in a near future, a lot of online content about the "best" eye color change procedure but unfortunately the "best keratopigmentation", you have to understand that not all clinics provide a real and secured one.
Keratopigmentation is deemed to be certified if some conditions are met such as:
- what exact pigments are used, how to track them, are they certified? are they FDA approved?
- what type of equipment is your eye clinic is using, is it a laser? if so is it a laser to take out the melanin in your eyes? is that a femtosecond laser, if so which one exactly?
- Does your ophthalmologist or eye clinic belongs to a society of ophthalmologists that have performed the procedure? It matters as best practices but also stats and reports are really necessary
- What is the exact background and experience of your ophthalmologist in terms of eye color change procedure?
Some of these points are summarized in the above Keratopigmentation infographic and you can read more about the topic here: How to have a safe Keratopigmentation?
Before and after photos can be very revealing, but it’s important to evaluate them carefully:
Ensure they come from certified clinics
Compare similar lighting and angles to avoid misleading impressions
Look for close-up views showing pigment precision and natural eye texture
Ask for examples taken several months after surgery to confirm long-term results
If you think you are a good candidate (find out here if an eye color change procedure is for me) then you will have to simply draft a check list of questions to be asked to your future eye surgeon. You may read that only few colors are available. You may also read that some are permanent, others not and that some need different sessions or different pigments.
If your ophthalmologist is about to provide you with a color of his/her choice or even your choice, you shall first enquire not about the very color but the pigments themselves.
Are the pigments made by a Laboratory? Is it FDA approved or CE Mark approved? Are they certified by an independant Certification Authority? Are they classified as medical device as per some regulations in the US or EU? If not how can he or she explains that they provide no legally approved pigments?
Then with the right pigments then you can ask yourself the right questions...and so ask your future eye surgeon:
- are the pigments for a life-time results?
- do I need to have several sessions?
- is the price the same for any color?
- if I order specific pigments, will I need some maintenance in the future?
- can I have my own eye color and provide you with references (such as HEX, RGB or HSL international color codes for instance)?
All these questions are legitimate and your ophthalmologist or his team shall answer all of them.
In short we may say that only a very specific pigment may need a second layer after several years if provided by a certified Keratopigmentation Clinic.
It may be also that the price is different according to the pigments used or if you are asking for a specific unique color.
Please refer to our post about Keratopigmentation costs and prices in different countries.
Keratopigmentation Blue eye colors
Not suprisingly blue is one of the main colors for various reasons such as cultural reasons, your entourage but others surprising reasons that are not only linked to the star system or the fact that one wants what one does not have (and what others have).
Blue is a reference among human beings but it is almost absent with animals. Blue is also a reference as violet eyes don't exist so we choose something we understand or we are familiar with.
These azure sparking blue are amazing but you can choose a deep blue instead:
Sahara color: Hazelnut brown with golden hues
There are many other available colors and it can be sent upon request but let's see before after videos of Keratopigmentation.
Before after photos gives you a pretty good idea but videos are even more amazing.
In short it matters to have a Keratopigmentation as eye color change procedure but not all Keratopigmentation are correctly provided.
These videos and videos are not fake at all, no cgi, just normal people having done an extraordinary procedure. The videos and before after videos are just taken live sometimes so a couple of minutes after the procedure (so eye are a bit red with even drops in the eyes).
Keratopigmentation eye color change surgery offers a safe and lasting way to achieve the eye color you’ve always wanted. By reviewing genuine before and after photos from certified clinics and understanding the process, you can make an informed decision about whether this procedure is right for you.
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Updated August 2025 Doctor de Natale collaboration
Dr Renato De Natale / Dr Theodore Hojabr
2025 Sources:
About same eye color change and Keratopigmentation topic:
What is this new technique to change eye color named Keratopigmentation?
All eye color change questions answered
What is the best real procedure to change eye color?
Is eye colour change really for me?
Is Keratopigmentation eye colour change without any risks?