Sight restored in man blinded by iris implants
A decade ago, Sergio Reyes had what he believed would be a simple cosmetic eye procedure that left him legally blind and on a journey that led him to UCI Health Gavin Herbert Eye Institute specialists in hopes of regaining his sight.
Reyes was working as a paralegal in Orange County in 2015 when he saw an ad offering cosmetic iris implants to change eye color. He was told it would be safe, inexpensive and reversible. He traveled to Mexico with a small group of patients and chose an aquamarine shade to contrast with his olive complexion and dark hair.
Everything was fine at first. But within months of getting the implants, Reyes began seeing halos around headlights and street lights while driving at night. His vision got progressively worse until he was unable to drive or work.
“It was a big mistake,” Reyes says of the procedure, one that cost him dearly.
“I lost my job, my car, my savings, my place, my friends — everything. Only one of my sons stuck with me. He used to drive me around like my chauffeur, but at some point he was frustrated, too.”
Searching for help
Over the next few years, Reyes saw a number of ophthalmologists who diagnosed him with cataracts and glaucoma. They suggested that he find a surgeon who would remove the implants.
“No one wanted to touch my eyes,” he recalls. “They were afraid because I had so many issues.”
One doctor finally told him that only ophthalmologists at an academic medical center were equipped to provide the necessary treatment and referred him to the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute. There he found Dr. Olivia Lee and Dr. Sumit Garg, physicians he knew immediately could help him.
“Although they thought my situation was very bad, they were optimistic,” says Reyes. “They were very understanding, very compassionate. They helped me a lot.”
Multiple surgeries needed
Between 2018 and 2022, Reyes underwent a series of surgeries at the eye institute to treat the damage caused by the artificial iris implants and the inflammation they triggered.
The eye surgeons removed the artificial irises then surgically implanted glaucoma shunts to reduce the pressure in his eyes. They also removed his cataracts.
But Reyes needed new corneas, the transparent protective outer layer of the eye. He had four separate transplants of donor corneas. Each time his vision would improve for a few weeks until the donor corneas failed, leaving him nearly blind once again.
Artificial corneas restore sight
Lee suggested trying an artificial cornea. Because they require lifelong monitoring for potential complications, artificial corneas are considered a last resort.
In fall 2022, Lee implanted a prosthesis, which restored Reyes’ vision in one eye. A few months later, she repeated the procedure on his other eye.
Reyes is not Lee’s first patient to suffer serious complications from cosmetic iris implants, a procedure only offered in other countries. The American Academy of Ophthalmology issued a warning against cosmetic implants and another eye-color changing procedure in January 2024. Still they continue to gain in popularity.
“This type of cosmetic iris implant causes chronic damage to multiple parts of the eye, requiring the kind of multidisciplinary eye care that we are proud to provide,” Lee says. “We never want patients with otherwise healthy eyes to end up needing the level of complex care that Sergio did.”
Hope regained
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved only one type of iris implant and only to treat patients whose iris is significantly damaged or missing. This procedure is offered at the eye institute.
Today, Reyes wears contact lenses and uses eye drops daily to maintain the health of his artificial corneas and prevent infection. He says his vision is almost as good as it was a decade ago.
He can drive, see movies and visit family and friends. He even hopes to return to paralegal work.
“God put a good doctor in my path,” says Reyes, who calls his recovery a miracle. “I call Dr. Lee my angel because she gave me my vision back.”