Daniela Requen has been in the public eye for her appearances in a popular Telecinco competition a few months ago, where she finished in third place under the nickname Nightmare in Heaven. The Valencian journalist has also held a position within PSPV-PSOE as the provincial secretary for LGTBI and diversity as of February 2022, and she published her first book last year, Mom, I’m a Woman: A Trans Girl’s Diary of her Transition.
Beyond journalism, Daniela has emerged as a social media figure with a substantial following. She attracts more than 800,000 followers on TikTok and over 73,000 on Instagram. It was on these platforms that a controversy around her most recent cosmetic procedure began to circulate after the eye-color change surgery she underwent, a procedure she described publicly on video as a transformative experience.
In one clip, she explained that the aim was to achieve a shade somewhere between Formentera blue and emerald green, stating that her eyes would shift from brown to a striking greenish-blue. She noted that the procedure had not been performed in Spain, and that she now works with a clinic that specializes in this technique. The method, she explained, involved pigmenting around the iris to create the desired color, a process described as one of the most superficial eye-area treatments, with minimal risk to vision and no functional impact.
Possible blindness debate grows
The controversy intensified when a video by Eva Ruiz, a student of Optics and Optometry, surfaced on TikTok. The clip raised concerns about this kind of eye coloration procedure, framing it as potentially dangerous.
Experts describe the risks of this technique as follows: a laser removes pigment from the iris, but pigment can accumulate in the anterior chamber, specifically the aqueous humor. Since this chamber lacks a drainage mechanism, pressure can rise, potentially leading to serious eye diseases such as glaucoma, optic nerve damage, or retinal detachment. Over the long term, these complications can result in vision loss. Many medical professionals consider this intervention unsafe and have recommended avoiding it, with several countries placing bans on similar procedures.
Following the initial clip, Daniela posted another video in which a different student clarifies that her own experience does not involve the same keratopigmentation procedure. Nonetheless, multiple reviews have echoed the cautions associated with this type of intervention, while others suggested the clinic offered the service at no charge as part of promotional arrangements.