Corneal Tattooing for the Treatment of Debilitating Glare in a Child With Traumatic Iris Loss

Purpose

To report the cosmetic and therapeutic use of corneal tattooing for a child with sectoral traumatic corneal scarring and symptomatic glare from sectoral traumatic iris loss.

Design

Interventional case report.

Methods

A six-year-old girl underwent corneal tattooing (platinum chloride reduced by hydrazine) in the relevant scarred corneal sector.

Results

Six months after the procedure, the child enjoyed a more normal corneal appearance and no longer suffered from glare. Postoperative epithelial healing, however, was slow and required vigilance.

Conclusions

Corneal tattooing can allow both cosmetic and therapeutic benefit when indicated in a child. However, postoperative healing may require management when using platinum chloride reduced by hydrazine.