‘I am in excruciating pain’: California woman pays $13,000 for eye color change surgery. Now she’s warning others against it
A California woman opts for a risky eye color changing surgery to brighten her dark brown eyes to a lighter shade. She instantly regrets the procedure after seeing the results and raises red flags about potential complications.
In a video with over 613,000 views, TikToker Jasmine Hill (@storywithfriends) says the unnamed doctor performed the procedure on one eye and handed her a mirror to see how it looked. She immediately noticed that the color was not the light brown she requested. Instead, the eye appeared a blue-green color. However, she still received the procedure on her other eye.
Hill says she soon began experiencing further complications beyond being dissatisfied with the look of her eyes.
“I could be in the house trying to watch TV and it was torture. I could have on the darkest shades and the smallest amount of light that would hit it was just excruciating discomfort,” she explains. She also began experiencing vision problems.
Hill receives consultations from four eye doctors, who she says all told her they couldn’t improve her symptoms. So, she decides to hire a lawyer.
Is she taking legal action after the eye color surgery?
Around four weeks after hiring her lawyer, she received a cease and desist via email from the doctor who performed the surgery. Hill made previous TikToks explaining her symptoms as they appeared.
“The cease and desist says, ’13 patients to date have cancelled their [procedure] citing the reason is Jasmine’s video that named doctor Blah Blah Blah,'” she says, reading the email. The letter claims that Hill’s videos have cost them around $156,000 in damages from lost business.
She says that her lawyer met with the doctor’s lawyer to find a “common ground for a settlement agreement.” Ultimately, they agree that a $14,000 refund would suffice.
However, the settlement offer comes with stipulations. Hill cannot mention the doctor’s name, business name, manufacturer of the pigment used, or city or state where the surgery was performed.
The doctor later sends an addendum to the settlement. He requests she remove all of her videos on the procedure, even if they don’t mention him. He also requests the removal of unrelated videos that show her location.
She captions the video, “Legal Disclaimer: Everything said in this video is my opinion based off my personal experience.”
While Hill does not directly name the doctor in the video, she likes a comment suggesting that the doctor is TikTok-famous Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler. The Mary Sue reached out to Wachler for further comment.
How did viewers react to the complications?
Many commenters empathize with Hill’s experience, encouraging her to seek a second legal opinion before taking the settlement.
“That kind of NDA costs millions, not just a refund. They better try again. You need a better lawyer,” one says.
Another remarks, “Cease and desist is a scare tactic carry on.”
“This is no different than you posting a negative Google review and folks cancelling as a result. He’s suing how??” a third asks.
“Girl defamation lawsuits are only valid if whats being stated is UNTRUE you are giving real situations you have nothing to worry about,” a fourth commenter writes.
Others agree that eye color-changing surgery isn’t worth the risk. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, most methods of eye color-changing surgery carry the risk of eye infection, vision loss, and inflammation. Plus, these procedures can be complicated to reverse.
“I’m so so sorry for everything you’ve gone through. I went through medical malpractice stuff and it didn’t end in my favor. The stress nearly took me out,” a commenter shares.
“I am so sorry you’re going through this. This is so much for one person to experience. He is going way overboard,” a second says.
@storywithfriends Legal Disclaimer: Everything said in this video is my opinion based off my personal experience.
♬ original sound – Jasmine Hill
The Mary Sue reached out to Jasmine Hill via Instagram and TikTok direct message for further comment.
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