Mid-Term Outcome of Phacoemulsification in Congenital Iris Coloboma

Purpose: We describe our experience on safety and effectiveness of phacoemulsification in cataract and congenital iris coloboma and point out some specific surgical recommendations aimed to minimize its complications. Methods: A prospective case series study was conducted on nineteen consecutive patients with cataract and congenital iris coloboma referred to the Farabi Eye Hospital in Tehran. After primary preoperative evaluations, cataract surgery was performed for each patient. All patients were followed-up for at least six months to determine surgical mid-term outcome. Results: Mean preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the participants was 1.99±0.70 logMAR which was improved to 0.82±0.61 logMAR postoperatively (p<0.001). Mean cell area was increased from 419.0±103.9 μm2 to 656.8±281.6 μm2 after surgery (p=0.001), while endothelial cell density was decreased from 2313.6±474.2 cell/mm2 before surgery to 1361.2±448.2 cell/mm2 after the operation (p<0.001). None of the patients developed corneal decompensation within the followup period. Regarding postprocedure complications, vitreous loss was observed in three patients, followed by penetration of dye to vitreous and remnant of the posterior capsule. None of the patients also experienced glare or photophobia and all of them were satisfied with the cosmetic result of their pupils. Conclusion: Based on our experience phacoemulsification with cosmetic repair of the coloboma can be a useful and safe procedure in patients with cataract and congenital iris coloboma.