Eyeball, or scleral tattoos are now illegal in Indiana.

The scleral is the white, protective outer layer of the eye.  A tattoo to this body part involves injecting dye into the thin layer.

Indiana University Health ophthalmologist Dr. Jennifer Eikenberry says she has never seen any cases and has only heard one in Indiana.

Her first concern is infection but she says the long-term effects are also unknown.

“Whether it diffuses into other ocular tissue, the degree of inflammation, the potential for cataract formation, the potential for chronic pain that doesn’t go away,” says Eikenberry.

Indiana’s new statue does exempt licensed health professional that may use a similar procedure for cornea damage.

But Eikenberry says that’s not current practice.

“Corneal tattoos may have been done to try to improve the cosmetic appearance of a scar, or whatnot, but at this point there are a lot of other techniques that surgeons are using,” says Eikenberry.

The law is effective July 1.