Eye color changes from Lumigan
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free skin care · Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:37 pm

nadjazz wrote:

I do see what you're talking about, Kassy...but damn, look at those beautiful lashes! I can't get over how full and long the lowers look.

Don't be fooled by the lashes, they were a bit longer + fuller before I started Lumigan, (in fact the bottoms were so long they looked ridiculous.) I didn't apply any Lumigan since before I went away in June, and I haven't seen any changes in the lashes.

free skin care · Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:20 pm

Gorgeous lashes. Wowsa.

free skin care · Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:56 pm

Oh, pictures gone? Ok, I saw it, and yes it looked reddish and not goldish.

That said, I honestly thought that Lumigan could emphasise the brown/or a darkening in the iris, rather than lightening it to the gold you describe, Kassy. And that's really puzzling and worrying me. Confused

I know that you were particularly concerned that an iris change might occur - so it's ironical (to say the least) that this should happen to you!

I'm certainly feeling wary of Lumigan now... Rolling Eyes

- but, yes, I agree that you were right to post your findings/experience. So, thankyou.

Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:40 pm

semayden wrote:

Oh, pictures gone? Ok, I saw it, and yes it looked reddish and not goldish.

That said, I honestly thought that Lumigan could emphasise the brown/or a darkening in the iris, rather than lightening it to the gold you describe, Kassy. And that's really puzzling and worrying me.

The photo is on pg 1. It was a good, clear one, and helpful to people trying to decide whether to try Lumigan or not. The coloring around the pupil didn't look gold to me, but brown.

Maybe the color in the photo was off?

free skin care · Thu Jul 23, 2009 10:59 am

semayden wrote:

Oh, pictures gone? Ok, I saw it, and yes it looked reddish and not goldish.

That said, I honestly thought that Lumigan could emphasise the brown/or a darkening in the iris, rather than lightening it to the gold you describe, [b]Kassy. And that's really puzzling and worrying me. Confused

[/b]

I know that you were particularly concerned that an iris change might occur - so it's ironical (to say the least) that this should happen to you!

I'm certainly feeling wary of Lumigan now... :roll: - but, yes, I agree that you were right to post your findings/experience. So, thankyou.

I tried to crop the picture so it would be more closeup, but I don't know how to enlarge it. (That is why I removed the picture.)

I hope I'm wrong, but I feel a decided undertone to your post, as if you are accusing me of being deceitful.. What it is, is what it is, and the more than 500 people who viewed this thread since the picture was posted, can decide for themselves. I know if someone else had shared a picture of a side effect related to something lots of us are using, I would be very grateful about it. But that's just me..

For the record, I was no more concerned about color change to the iris, than anyone else.. Sure, I would have preferred my eyes to remain a solid green, but I'm not losing sleep over these changes.

Here is the picture again, which is now cropped for what I hope is a better closeup.. It's still showing a reddish color in the picture, but I assure you it is gold/amber in person. But regardless of some slight variation in the color I'm describing, isn't the point loud and clear, that I'm experiencing color change to my iris after 1 year of Lumigan use?

free skin care · Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:01 pm

Most definitely thank you for posting, Kassy! I surely appreciate your accounting.

free skin care · Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:35 pm

Kassy...knowing you applied it carefully and sparingly only 3x a week and STILL got the color change is a little alarming for me. I've ordered the stuff but may be leary about using it and sharing with my hazel eyed sister. Thanks for sharing.

free skin care · Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:05 pm

You have me thinking too Kassy. I haven't ordered it yet but now I'm definitely on the fence.

free skin care · Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:32 pm

To keep you informed and up to date, there is a new cosmetically approved peptide on the market that signals eyelash growth. Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, from Symrise has a trade name of Sympeptide 226.

This material is NOT a drug, and will not cause the known side-effects of drugs such as Lumigan or products like Latisse.

John

free skin care · Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:20 pm

Kassy, I very much appreciate your post and photo will NOT buy lumigen based upon it. My color is very much like yours (my eyes are not as pretty), although I have a light brown ring around the iris without the lumigen, and a few light gold streaks and brown specks throughout. Other than then new ring around the iris, you had a purer color than mine. Yes, I would agree that the lumigen is changing your eye color. (I have just spent a lot of time running back and forth to the bathroom at work looking at my eyes in the mirror.)

Notch, I saw the Isomers new lash formula has an ingrediant similar to the one you mentioned. The formula is below. Do you think it would be helpful? TIA

Ingredients: Aqua/Water, Glycerin, Myristoyl Hexapeptide-16, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Glycoproteins, Hydrolyzed Silk, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Yeast Extract, Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Tropolone.

free skin care · Thu Jul 23, 2009 10:38 pm

Light blue-green eyes here, with a yellow ring around the pupil. I've been using Lumigan for a year, and there have been no changes in eye colour.

If you got some in your eye, you would feel it. It would sting a bit. So you could easily wash it out.

free skin care · Sat Jul 25, 2009 6:28 pm

Kassy_A wrote:

semayden wrote:

Oh, pictures gone? Ok, I saw it, and yes it looked reddish and not goldish.

That said, I honestly thought that Lumigan could emphasise the brown/or a darkening in the iris, rather than lightening it to the gold you describe, [b]Kassy. And that's really puzzling and worrying me. Confused

[/b]

I know that you were particularly concerned that an iris change might occur - so it's ironical (to say the least) that this should happen to you!

I'm certainly feeling wary of Lumigan now... :roll: - but, yes, I agree that you were right to post your findings/experience. So, thankyou.

I tried to crop the picture so it would be more closeup, but I don't know how to enlarge it. (That is why I removed the picture.)

I hope I'm wrong, but I feel a decided undertone to your post, as if you are accusing me of being deceitful.. What it is, is what it is, and the more than 500 people who viewed this thread since the picture was posted, can decide for themselves. I know if someone else had shared a picture of a side effect related to something lots of us are using, I would be very grateful about it. But that's just me..

For the record, I was no more concerned about color change to the iris, than anyone else.. Sure, I would have preferred my eyes to remain a solid green, but I'm not losing sleep over these changes.

Here is the picture again, which is now cropped for what I hope is a better closeup.. It's still showing a reddish color in the picture, but I assure you it is gold/amber in person. But regardless of some slight variation in the color I'm describing, isn't the point loud and clear, that I'm experiencing color change to my iris after 1 year of Lumigan use?

Sorry Kassy, I have only just seen your reply to my post.

I'm baffled as to why you think I have a decided undertone to my post (above).

When I started to research Lumigan, you were one of my role models, and I read as many posts of yours as I could find relating to your own Lumigan experience.

Yes, I did get the impression that you were particularly anxious not to lose your green eyes - I think I got that from a different thread than this one.

No, I don't think you are being deceitful. Why you would read that into my post is a complete mystery to me. Still, I apologise if I have given you that impression. It was far from my intention.

I am simply (and actually, quite objectively!) curious as to why you are seeing what you describe as GOLD rather than BROWN changes. I thought I'd repeatedly read that any expected changes would be brown ones. Evidently, I was mistaken.

That's all.

free skin care · Sat Jul 25, 2009 7:36 pm

totally out of topic but Kassy, how do u keep your eyes so wrinkle free!?

i've got lines right at the under-edge of my eyes at all times. if i smile, more lines pop up around the eye bag area.

sorry for being OOT but i was blown away by her eyes AND eye lashes.

free skin care · Sat Jul 25, 2009 8:24 pm

semayden wrote:

[
I'm baffled as to why you think I have a decided undertone to my post (above).

No, I don't think you are being deceitful. Why you would read that into my post is a complete mystery to me. Still, I apologise if I have given you that impression. It was far from my intention.

Here are a few quotes from you, that made me feel you didn't quite believe what I said, or the picture I provided..

Are you quite sure about this Kassy? Have you ever looked that closely at your eye with a flashlight before?

I just don't know what to think now Kassy. I've exchanged posts with some else on another forum who has been using this for as long as you, if not longer (I'll doublecheck tomorrow) and she insists she's had no color changes, as another green-eyer!

Oh, pictures gone? Ok, I saw it, and yes it looked reddish and not goldish.

I know that you were particularly concerned that an iris change might occur - so it's ironical (to say the least) that this should happen to you!

Anyway, if I'm just being sensitive, than I apologize also, and would be happy to drop it..

For those who are interested, here are side effects to be aware of according to Lumigan;

ADVERSE REACTIONS
In clinical trials, the most frequent events associated with the use of LUMIGAN® (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% occurring in approximately 15% to 45% of patients, in descending order of incidence, included conjunctival hyperemia, growth of eyelashes, and ocular pruritus. Approximately 3% of patients discontinued therapy due to conjunctival hyperemia.

Ocular adverse events occurring in approximately 3 to 10% of patients, in descending order of incidence, included ocular dryness, visual disturbance, ocular burning, foreign body sensation, eye pain, pigmentation of the periocular skin, blepharitis, cataract, superficial punctate keratitis, eyelid erythema, ocular irritation, and eyelash darkening. The following ocular adverse events reported in approximately 1 to 3% of patients, in descending order of incidence, included: eye discharge, tearing, photophobia, allergic conjunctivitis, asthenopia, increases in iris pigmentation, and conjunctival edema. In less than 1% of patients, intraocular inflammation was reported as iritis.

Systemic adverse events reported in approximately 10% of patients were infections (primarily colds and upper respiratory tract infections). The following systemic adverse events reported in approximately 1 to 5% of patients, in descending order of incidence, included headaches, abnormal liver function tests, asthenia and hirsutism.

WARNINGS
LUMIGAN® (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% has been reported to cause changes to pigmented tissues. The most frequently reported changes have been increased pigmentation of the iris, periorbital tissue (eyelid) and eyelashes, and growth of eyelashes. Pigmentation is expected to increase as long as LUMIGAN® is administered. After discontinuation of LUMIGAN® pigmentation of the iris is likely to be permanent while pigmentation of the periorbital tissue and eyelash changes have been reported to be reversible in some patients. Patients who receive treatment should be informed of the possibility of increased pigmentation. The effects of increased pigmentation beyond 5 years are not known

I think everybody really needs to keep in mind, that this only happens to between 1 and 3% of users of the product.. There is also a good chance, that many of those are using the drops in the eye.. (With more people using it now for lash enhancement though, I'm sure those numbers will increase.)

Unfortunately, I am a Murphy's law type of girl.. Sad

, and my life is all about "anything that can go wrong, will"..

With all that said, the fact is, what you see as reddish in the picture is more like an amber/gold color.. Will it continue to darken, I have no idea.. Is it for sure a color change to my iris? You betcha!

free skin care · Sat Jul 25, 2009 8:43 pm

snowstar wrote:

totally out of topic but Kassy, how do u keep your eyes so wrinkle free!?

i've got lines right at the under-edge of my eyes at all times. if i smile, more lines pop up around the eye bag area.

sorry for being OOT but i was blown away by her eyes AND eye lashes.

LOL! I had them wide open when I took the picture, so that softens any lines..

I did manage to get rid of crows feet + fine lines, but with a big hearty laugh, my laughing crinkles are still there.

My regime is all in my signature line, nothing more, nothing less.. And by golly, it works.. Very Happy

free skin care · Sun Jul 26, 2009 9:25 am

Kassy_A wrote:

semayden wrote:

[
I'm baffled as to why you think I have a decided undertone to my post (above).

No, I don't think you are being deceitful. Why you would read that into my post is a complete mystery to me. Still, I apologise if I have given you that impression. It was far from my intention.

Here are a few quotes from you, that made me feel you didn't quite believe what I said, or the picture I provided..

Are you quite sure about this Kassy? Have you ever looked that closely at your eye with a flashlight before?

I just don't know what to think now Kassy. I've exchanged posts with some else on another forum who has been using this for as long as you, if not longer (I'll doublecheck tomorrow) and she insists she's had no color changes, as another green-eyer!

Oh, pictures gone? Ok, I saw it, and yes it looked reddish and not goldish.

I know that you were particularly concerned that an iris change might occur - so it's ironical (to say the least) that this should happen to you!

Anyway, if I'm just being sensitive, than I apologize also, and would be happy to drop it..

Hi Kassy! Yes, if I re-read those remarks of mine that you've listed - trying to see them from your point of view - I think I can better understand why you were upset. But, yes, I do think you were being over-sensitive.

It's always hard to express oneself properly through the internet! Confused

I think that if you've picked up on an undertone of any kind with me, what you are picking up is possibly my annoyance with Allergan - inasmuch as I think they have been pretty quick to jump on the money-making aspect of Lumigan use - with a fairly blithe attitude toward side effects; thinking here of the iris changes in particularl.

The FDA studies for Latisse only spanned a few months. Not nearly long enough to talk with any certainty about no iris changes being seen.

As a slight hijack, I'm also peeved that I have NOT experienced the wonder lashes that some talk about (I'm week 16) hence a further personal annoyance on my part (unreasonable perhaps) toward Allergan.

Hope this makes some kind of sense to you, Kassy. Let me know, or please do PM me if you still want to clear anything up. Smile

free skin care · Sun Jul 26, 2009 9:56 am

semayden, I'm A-OK with all you said .. Very Happy

To touch a little with what you said about 'not experiencing the wonder lashes after 16 weeks', I'd wonder if the risks are even worth it for you..

By any chance did you start out with long, dense eyelashes? It seems those of us who start that way, don't show as dramatic results..

In my experience while still using almost nightly (in the beginning), my lashes all of a sudden grew in a burst, got very spindly/spidery, and then many shed at the same time.. (From what I read, it seems that once a lash reaches it's full growth potential, it then sheds..) So I was thinking that this was happening to too many lashes at once, and that is when I cut my use to 3 X per week..

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make for you is that if I had to do it all again, I wouldn't.. Because the risk wasn't justified, by the tiny (temporary) gain in lash length. (In fact what you see now in the picture, is just about back to my *pre* Lumigan lashes.)

free skin care · Sun Jul 26, 2009 4:46 pm

Kassy_A wrote:

semayden, I'm A-OK with all you said .. Very Happy

To touch a little with what you said about 'not experiencing the wonder lashes after 16 weeks', I'd wonder if the risks are even worth it for you..

By any chance did you start out with long, dense eyelashes? It seems those of us who start that way, don't show as dramatic results..

In my experience while still using almost nightly (in the beginning), my lashes all of a sudden grew in a burst, got very spindly/spidery, and then many shed at the same time.. (From what I read, it seems that once a lash reaches it's full growth potential, it then sheds..) So I was thinking that this was happening to too many lashes at once, and that is when I cut my use to 3 X per week..

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make for you is that if I had to do it all again, I wouldn't.. Because the risk wasn't justified, by the tiny (temporary) gain in lash length. (In fact what you see now in the picture, is just about back to my *pre* Lumigan lashes.)

Kassy, glad you are A-OK with what I last posted... Very Happy

No, my lashes were very average - 6-7mm I think. They've grown slowly but steadily over the weeks to where they are about a centimetre long, but don't stand out, really, because I have large-lidded eyes with high set brows i.e. lots of space around the eye. That's what I think, anyway! I had a big shed of 12 lashes from one eye at 8 weeks. Nothing big since then.

I was using Ardell/Mavala and stuff prior to that, and although I think they helped, I do think the Lumigan kicked it up a notch - especially on my brows, which have filled in nicely.

But, yes, I seriously wonder now if just sticking to Ardell/Mavala would have got me about as far as I am today (some excellent reviews on MUA) and in that sense, whether Lumigan is truly worth it for me quite apart from the risks that may be involved ahead.

Unfortunately, I have two full bottles of the stuff left... Rolling Eyes

I'll keep going with the Lumigan a little longer, 2-3 times a week, and keep using the Ardell/Mavala alongside (which I've done throughout anyway) but I am a rather disallusioned Semayden at the moment about the whole Lumigan/Latisse business. Sad

Sorry to hijack this thread again Mountaingirl . I'll post this sort of stuff over in the 'Lumigan for lash growth' thread in future.

Wed Aug 05, 2009 8:28 am

I am a very avid reader of your many post & I guess it is time for me to comment. I was accidentally perusing this post for no particular reason and became intrigued.

I had never heard of Latisse changing the colour of your eyes. I had been using the Jan Marini eye lash product for some months but stopped about 2 months ago. I have green eyes mostly but some times a bit wishy-washy.

Just last weekend my daughter (26yo) said to me "Mum, you have the greenish eyes I have ever seen". I used to wear very green lens but had surgery and no longer wear lens. A friend commented on Monday how green my eyes were. I had also noticed that they have seemed much greener to me over the past weeks but thought it was just wishful thinking.

I have not studied them in a 10x mirror but will now!

Very interesting thread - thanks all!

free skin care · Wed Aug 05, 2009 1:37 pm

You know what...I wouldn't worry about it. People's eye colour changes throughout life anyway. Who's to say that hazel eyes wouldn't have acquired more green or brown naturally anyway?

The receptionist in my dr's office has been using Lumigan for 2 decades, for glaucoma in one eye. She has dark blue eyes. After all this time, her eyes are both the same colour, despite the intensive Lumigan use in one eye only. I have been using it every day for a year for eyelash growth. I have blue eyes, but with a yellow ring around the pupil, so they are officially hazel. I looked in my 10x magnifying mirror and there have been no changes whatever.

free skin care · Wed Aug 05, 2009 7:21 pm

I have been using Lumigan every day for about 5 months and am just now starting to see the Ka-POW! lash growth and darkening. Before this month it was pretty iffy, I am also seeing a more definite yellow ring inside my blue iris (toward the pupil) and a darkening of the ring around the iris. Not that this is bad, but it is most definitely a change!

I also have the skin pigmentation changes that look like smoky eyeliner on top and bottom lids. I haven't noticed any periorbital fat loss, but this is the side effect that could make me quit Lumigan!

Lumigan was making my eyes much too dry, so I mix it with Ardell Magic Lash serum and apply only 2-3 times a week now. Oddly, this is seeming to improve the growth.

free skin care · Wed Aug 12, 2009 7:24 pm

Hey Fawnie, nice to see you here, as well as at SCT.

Listen, these iris changes (have you said anything over at SCT?) are interesting (sound rather pretty if that's not a thoughtless comment).

So, that's you and Kassy swinging in with yellow rings around the pupils. Is yellow a precursor to brown, I wonder (must find a color wheel).

Interesting about the 'taking off at 5 months' thing. Did you notice the iris changes before then - or at around the same time, would you say?

Sat Oct 10, 2009 7:05 pm

re-posting here for GRL FRM DENVER

GRL FRM DENVER wrote:

KASSY A: I too am experiencing iris brown/gold in color with dark 1/16 rim around iris using latisse

Interesting to say the least

free skin care · Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:45 pm

havana8 wrote:

re-posting here for GRL FRM DENVER

GRL FRM DENVER wrote:

KASSY A: I too am experiencing iris brown/gold in color with dark 1/16 rim around iris using latisse

Interesting to say the least

I have been searching around for information regarding eye colour changes due to Lumigan. I was able to find this (from Allergan Inc.):

Patients may slowly develop increased brown pigmentation of the iris. This change may not be noticeable for several months to years (see Warnings). Typically the brown pigmentation around the pupil is expected to spread concentrically towards the periphery in affected eyes, but the entire iris or parts of it may also become more brownish. Until more information about increased brown pigmentation is available, patients should be examined regularly and, depending on the clinical situation, treatment may be stopped if increased pigmentation ensues. The increase in brown iris pigment is not expected to progress further upon discontinuation of treatment, but the resultant color change may be permanent. Neither nevi nor freckles of the iris are expected to be affected by treatment.

And this (from David Pyott from Allergan, Inc. in a letter to the FDA):

LUMIGAN® may gradually change eye color, increasing the amount of brown pigment in the iris by increasing the number of melanosomes (pigment granules) in melanocytes. The long-term effects on the melanocytes and the consequences of potential injury to the melanocytesand/or deposition of pigment granules to other areas of the eye are currently unknown. The change in iris color occurs slowly and may not be noticeable for several months to years. Patients should be informed of the possibility of iris color change.

And this from DailyMed):

LUMIGAN® (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% may gradually increase the pigmentation of the iris. The eye color change is due to increased melanin content in the stromal melanocytes of the iris rather than to an increase in the number of melanocytes. This change may not be noticeable for several months to years (see WARNINGS). Typically, the brown pigmentation around the pupil spreads concentrically towards the periphery of the iris and the entire iris or parts of the iris become more brownish. Neither nevi nor freckles of the iris appear to be affected by treatment. While treatment with LUMIGAN® can be continued in patients who develop noticeably increased iris pigmentation, these patients should be examined regularly.

During clinical trials, the increase in brown iris pigment has not been shown to progress further upon discontinuation of treatment, but the resultant color change may be permanent.

Basically, they all say the same thing I think. The eye colour changes associated with the use of Lumigan as a treatment for glaucoma (not eyelash growth) begin as a very thin line which encircles the pupil. Through continued use (after months or years of continued daily use directly in the eye) the brown colour spreads concentrically towards the the periphery of the iris, and the whole iris (or parts of it) become brown. (concentrically means the ring becomes gradually larger around the pupil).

It is difficult to say whether gold and brown are the same thing or related since women tend to be more descriptive and more perceptive of colour.

During the clinical studies of Latisse there were no cases of iris pigmentation changes. Latisse also contains 0.03% bimatoprost ophthalmic solution, the same active ingredient as Lumigan. I am not sure if Latisse is identical in formulation to Lumigan though (I have never seen a list of the official ingredients in Latisse from Allergan, nor does Allergan list the percentages of each ingredient, other than the active).

What Grl frm Denver describes does sound like it MAY be attributable to using Latisse for eyelash growth. She states it is a very thin circle around the iris, but is unclear if she means close to the pupil or on the outer part of the iris (next to the white of the eye aka the sclera).

Fawnie: I too have blue eyes and like you I notice a golden ring towards the pupil and a darker outer ring next to the whites of my eyes. However, I do NOT use any eyelash growth product nor any drops in my eyes (I never have in the past either). I thought the changes were either due to aging or maybe I am just more observant. I do know that eye colour changes throughout life. There are some changes that are associated with illness elsewhere in the body (such as Wilson's disease or cataracts) but most colour charges are not pathological indicators.

I think the only way anyone can really tell if their eye colour change is related to using Lumigan for eyelash growth is to see an ophthalmologist or other "eye doctor". Until then, we are only guessing that the two events are "cause and effect". HTH

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