Surgical technique for congenital iris coloboma repair

Abstract

We describe a surgical technique for managing congenital iris coloboma. After phacoemulsification with placement of an intraocular lens in the capsular bag, coloboma repair is begun by bisecting the iris sphincter on both sides of its attachment near the chamber angle. The iris leaflets central to the sphincterectomies are approximated using a 10-0 polypropylene suture (Prolene, Ethicon, Inc.) and a modified Siepser pupilloplasty technique. The remaining peripheral iris defect is closed in a similar fashion. In patients with congenital iris coloboma, phacoemulsification with in-the-bag IOL implantation followed by this pupilloplasty technique was effective in providing functional and cosmetic repair of a congenital iris coloboma.