BrightOcular™ cosmetic iris implant to change eye color: new cause for anterior uveitis in young healthy subjects

Session Details

Session Title: Presented Poster Session: News on Phaco

Session Date/Time: Tuesday 08/09/2015 | 09:30-11:00

Paper Time: 10:20

Venue: Poster Village: Pod 4

First Author: : A.Mansour LEBANON

Co Author(s): :    D. Palmar   M. Ghabra   J. Saadeh   M. ElMallah   A. Milki  

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Numerous cases of ocular morbidity following New Color™ cosmetic iris implants in Panama have included the following complications: corneal decompensation, uveitis, hyphema, glaucoma, and cataract. Since then other companies have sprung up in India, Jordan, Lebanon, Mexico, Turkey, and Tunisia that claim to be implanting a newer and safe type of implant (BrightOcular). Little is known about this implant as there is no published medical literature. We present 2 subjects who had ocular morbidity with this new device.

Setting:

Tertiary clinics in 2 countries.

Methods:

We present 2 healthy young subjects (one 24-year-old man and one 36-year-old woman both Caucasians) that underwent BrightOcular cosmetic iris implants (respectively in Tunisia and in Lebanon) and developed chronic mild to moderate anterior nongranulomatous uveitis (respectively 1 year and immediately after surgery).

Results:

Visual acuity, intraocular pressure, corneal and lens clarity were normal. Topical corticosteroid controlled the uveitis in the male case but the uveitis recurred on tapering for 6 months. Surgical removal of the implant in the male subject was done in one eye. The female patient was uncontrolled on topical corticosteroid and nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drops in addition to monthly subtenon corticosteroid injections over 3 months of observation. Anterior OCT revealed the implant abutting the peripheral iris.

Conclusions:

Cosmetic iris implant is a new cause for uveitis in young healthy subjects. Irreversible damage can occur with these new expensive cosmetic implants that have been implanted in more than 600 subjects worldwide with no available literature on their safety. BrightOcular iris implant is not FDA/CE approved. Clinicians should should monitor these patients for uveitis. Patients should be advised not to undergo implantation and if already implanted, they are best removed,

Financial Interest:

NONE