A woman whose eyesight has been damaged by eyeball tattoos claims she has no regrets – except the color.
She’s Covered in Tattoos
Anaya Peterson, a 33-year-old from Northern Ireland, got her first tattoo when she was 22. Since then, she hasn’t stopped. Her entire body is covered in art, except her left foot. She said: “Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I will get tattoos until I die.”
She Didn’t Always Like Body Art
Growing up, Peterson wasn’t a fan of tattoos. Her opinion was swayed by Chester Bennington – the late Linkin Park singer – when she saw his designs in a music video. Peterson’s tattoo collection has grown massively over the years and she even has other body modifications, like stretched ears and a tongue split.
She Had Her Eyeballs Tattooed in 2020
In 2020, Peterson embarked on her most extreme tattoo journey yet. She had one eyeball tattooed purple in July and the other blue in December. “I saw tattoo model Amber Luke with eyeball tattoos and loved them. She is so beautiful,” she said.
Eyeball Tattoos Are Unique
Eyeball tattoos are different from regular ones; an artist uses a small needle to inject ink under the conjunctiva – the clear membrane which covers the eye. Mistakes can happen easily. Because the target area is so small, it’s not difficult for the needle to accidentally go directly into the eye.
Such Tattoos Are Banned in Many Places
Because of the dangers, eyeball tattoos are banned in many places across the world and the US, including Indiana, Oklahoma, and Washington. Eyeball tattooing comes with a plethora of risks, including infection and blindness. The long-term effects are currently unknown.
Initially, Peterson Didn’t Have Any Issues
Peterson’s daughter, five years old at the time, didn’t want her mum to go through with the procedure for fear of her losing her sight. But Peterson did it anyway and, for the first few months, she didn’t have any issues beyond dryness.
But, Eventually, Issues Emerged
It wasn’t long before complications started to occur. The skin around Peterson’s neck and eyes became bumpy and itchy and, in August 2021, her eyelids and face began to swell. Her doctor prescribed her antibiotics and had her checked for eye cancer. Unfortunately, the medication did nothing to help and, terrifyingly, Peterson noticed that her iris appeared to have sunken into the white of her eye.
She Got a Diagnosis
Peterson was eventually diagnosed with tattoo sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease where white blood cells are unable to fight some types of bacteria. Symptoms include bumps around the tattoo, itchiness, swelling, and skin that feels warm to the touch. If someone is predisposed to the disorder, like Peterson, tattoos can trigger it. It can lead to sympathetic ophthalmia, which is an immune response that can cause partial, or total, vision loss.
Peterson’s Vision Has Worsened
Since getting her eyeballs tattooed, Peterson’s vision has gotten worse. Moreover, she’s at risk of cataracts and glaucoma. Peterson defended eyeball tattoos. She said: “If I didn’t have sarcoidosis, nothing would have happened to my eyes.”
Peterson Has Minimal Regrets
While she found it “traumatizing” at the time, Peterson doesn’t regret getting her eyeballs tattooed. The one thing she would change, if she could, is the choice of color; if she could go back in time; she’d only get one eyeball tattooed and she’d choose black.
Online Commenters Criticized Her
Online commenters were quick to criticize and judge Peterson. “There is nothing beautiful about tattoos. The human body is beautiful as is,” one individual wrote. “Found the Christian,” another person replied. “I don’t know, man. Tattoos are great to an extent. I would love to have some but do not have anything I would want,” a third individual added.
Others Doubted Peterson’s Ability to Regret Her Decision
Some online commenters doubted that Peterson was even capable of regretting her decision. “Someone who would tattoo their eyeballs in the first place is not in the right state of mind to regret it,” one individual wrote. “Exactly,” another replied.
Others Said Peterson Would Never Find a Partner
Some online commenters took it upon themselves to discuss Peterson’s love life. “She won’t be picky with who she’s dating now. She’s taking anybody,” one individual said. “There are plenty of people in the body mod community she can date. She won’t find it hard at all,” another argued back.
Some Questioned the Morals of Peterson’s Tattoo Artist
Some online commenters took the discussion away from Peterson – after all, she’s an adult who can make her own decisions – and questioned the morals of her tattoo artist. “I genuinely cannot even fathom the reasons anyone would tattoo their eyeballs. What kind of sick tattoo artist would actually agree to tattoo someone’s eyeballs?” one individual wrote.
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