From brow embroidery to eyeliner tattoos and lash extensions, women – and men – are pulling out all the stops to get dazzling peepers.

After years of twice-monthly brow-tweezing sessions, boutique assistant Chris Wong decided to have her brows embroidered, a process where a blade is used to etch fine hair-like strokes of dye onto the upper layer of the skin.

Then, she moved on to eyeliner embroidery, in which a dye is injected into the upper and lower lash lines.

“I now save at least 30minutes every morning because I don’t have to apply eye make-up anymore,” says the 43-year-old.

Women like Ms Wong who prize convenience are contributing to the boom in semi-permanent eye treatments, which last between a month and two years.

Besides embroidery services, these include eyelash extensions lash perming and lash and brow tinting.

Major beauty salons and chains, including Browhaus, Allure Beauty Saloon and Erabelle Prestige, report a jump of 30 to 60 percent in the number of customers who sought semi-permanent services over the last year.

“You don’t have to spend time applying and removing make –up. Also, the results will not melt in this weather,” says Ms Janet Lim, the group public relations manager of the Spa Espirit group, which runs 11 Browhaus eye-grooming outlets here.

Men, too, are warming up to the idea of beautifying their eyes.

At Allure Beauty Saloon in Tiong Bahru Plaza, up to 20 per cent of the customers who ask for brow embroidery are men.

Ms Angela Tnee, its director explains: “Men believe that thick, dark brows command power and exude confidence.”

There are health hazards though. Common side effects of these beauty procedures in clued red and irritated eyes, tearing and eye discharge, says Dr Ho Ching Lin, a senior consultant ophthalmologist and the head of glaucoma services at the Singapore National Eye Centre.

However, she says these are usually “transient” and will go away if the irritants are removed quickly.

For example, perm chemicals or dyes can be washed out or offending lash extensions removed.

In more severe cases, these mild irritations could cause blurred vision and develop into ulcers, cysts, sties and loss of lash and brow hairs.

However, severe, long-term eye problems are rare, says Dr Leonard Ang, an ophthalmologist and the medical director of The Eye & Cornea Transplant Centre and Premium Lasik Surgery Clinic, both in Paragon.

“I am not against eye-beautifying techniques as they can boost confidence,” says Dr Ho.

“But do so with care by picking a reputable salon and, if you develop eye irritations that persist, see a doctor.”