Health2 min(s) read
Published 14:35 29 Jun 2026 GMT
A Brazilian content creator and tattoo artist recently went viral for sharing the horrifying results of having the whites of her eyes tattooed black.
Lavinia Mesquita revealed that she has struggled to find a job or romantic partner since darkening the whites of her eyes artificially. She also claimed that her children are now terrified of her appearance.
While the knock-on effects sound awful enough, the physical problems it has caused her have made her life even harder.
The procedure has also left her only able to see in black and white, meaning she can no longer read or write and now fears that she may lose her vision entirely.
Ophthalmologist and clinical lecturer, Dr. Ben LaHood, explained the medical impact the eye tattoos could have to Bored Panda. He said: “The sensitive contents of the eye that we see can be permanently damaged.
"Our perception of color starts with retinal cone cells, which are on the inner layer of the eye, whereas tattooing of the eyeball should only impact the outer shell of the eye.”
He added: "If a needle and ink were to penetrate the globe or if inflammation from the tattoo process affected the internal structures of the eye, then it could impact one's perception of color."
Mesquita also claimed in a video posted to social media: "When I cry, I cry black tears, and people are afraid of me."
She also said that despite frequent crying, the black tears have continued. She further asked viewers, somewhat hopefully, whether excessive crying would ultimately "eliminate all the ink from my eyes?"
However, the conclusion drawn from the comments section is tragically no.
The young mother also cites not being able to flirt with men as another reason she regrets getting her eyes tattooed. She explained that "the person never knows if I'm looking at them or looking past them.
"There is no way to know where I'm looking, guys; there's no way. It's all black."
The saddest reason Mesquita regrets the facial augmentation is scaring her young children with her appearance and struggling to comfort them as a result.
She claims that they dream about her eyes and "wake up in the middle of the night crying." When she tries to calm and comfort them, "that's when they cry even more."
While Mesquita did not disclose how many children she has or how old they are, her Instagram account features several pictures of a toddler.
