PROTECTION OF THE IRIS BY LAMELLAR DISSECTION OF CORNEAL LAYERS - A TECHNIQUE IN PENETRATING KERATOPLASTY

Adherent leukomatous corneal opacities constitute the bulk of cases un dergoing keratoplasty in developing countries. Surgical trauma to the iris resulting in a large iris coloboma, iridodialysis, and bleeding a re the imminent intraoperative complications in such cases. We have ev olved a technique of lamellar separation of corneal layers and gentle separation of adherent iris after partial trephination in such cases. We have successfully used this technique in six cases of adherent leuk oma. No intraor postoperative complication related to lamellar separat ion was encountered, and all the grafts remained clear at the end of 3 months.