New body jewelry targets the sclera

Los Angeles-Like that twinkle in her eye? It might not be there just for you.

The "twinkle" is courtesy of a 0.13-inch-side piece of platinum jewelry implanted in the conjunctiva, on top of the sclera, using local anesthesia. The 15-minute procedure was pioneered by an ophthalmic surgeon at the Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery, and Robert Maloney, MD, was the first surgeon in North America to implant the jewel into a person's eye. Eye surgeons in Rotterdam report no side effects or complications.

The removable jewelry is available in the shape of glittering half moons, stars, or hearts, and it is primarily visible when the eye is turned, he said.