To investigate the effects of corneal tattooing on patients with a traumatic iris defect.

Corneal tattooing operation was performed on three patients (3 cases) with a traumatic iris defect. In case 1, the cornea was dyed with Davidson® marking dyes (Bradley Products Inc., MN, US) and the amniotic membrane with the central incision was permanently transplanted. In case 2, both corneal dyeing and permanent amniotic membrane transplantation were performed on the area of partial iris loss. In case 3, corneal dyeing was performed after the intrastromal cornea was dissected. Corneal reepithelization was found in the first 2 cases 12 and 9 days after amniotic membrane transplantation, respectively. Three months after the transplantation, all three cases showed an improvement in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), with an increase of one or more lines on the Snellen Chart. Simultaneously, preoperative monocular contrast and glare were also found to beimproved in all three cases. In both cases 1 and 2, 60% of the initially used dyes still remained in the cornea 6 months after the surgery, and in case 3, 90% of the initial dye remained. Except for the moderate astigmatism found earlier after the surgery in case 3, no serious complications developed.

Corneal tattooing can improve the visual acuity and reduce glare in eyes with a traumatic iris defect and is cosmetically pleasing. Furthermore, corneal tattooing can be performed more easily and repeatedly than black diaphragm intraocular lens implantation.