Posters

Cosmetic iris implants: literature review

Poster Details

First Author: A.Tello COLOMBIA

Co Author(s):    V. Galvis   M. Corrales                 

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To perform a comprehensive literature review on efficacy and safety of cosmetic iris implants.

Setting:

Centro Oftalmologico Virgilio Galvis, Floridablanca, Colombia. Faculty of Health Sciences. Universidad Autonoma de Bucaramanga, Floridablanca, Colombia.

Methods:

For this review, we searched PubMed database for articles related to cosmetic iris implants using the terms “cosmetic iris implant” and "cosmetic iris implants”. Papers published up to March 2015 were included. All articles and their list of references were carefully reviewed. In total we found 37 articles, but finally we selected 17 articles.

Results:

We did not find any report on results on this implant that could support its safety, but we did find 17 articles on complications related with this technique. Those studies included 51 eyes of 26 patients who underwent cosmetic anterior chamber iris devices implantation. Clinical findings reported were corneal edema, ocular hypertension, decreased visual acuity, cataract development, hyphema, anterior chamber cells, anterior uveitis, significant loss of endothelial cells and glaucoma. The vast majority of the patients required additional surgery including valve implants and corneal transplantation. Several cases had a severe visual field compromise and/or final visual acuity worse than 20/200.

Conclusions:

According to the published data cosmetic iris implants in the anterior chamber are not safe and can lead to severe visual loss. It is important that ophthalmological community educates society against this risky procedure, which is currently marketed and advertised on the Internet as a cosmetic procedure for individuals who wish to change their eye/iris color.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE