Long-term complications of cosmetic iris implants

Additive cosmetic implants (NewColorIris, Kahn Medical Devices, Panama City, Panama) are placed in the anterior chamber, in order to externally change iris color. There is a lack of robust clinical long-term prospective studies regarding the safety of these devices, as they have been related to the early-onset presentation of corneal decompensation, elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), uveitis and hyphema. However, in this case report some mild complications started to manifest unexpectedly late: 15 years after an uneventful procedure.

A 41-year-old Caucasian woman presented with blurred vision in both eyes over the last 6 months. Fifteen years earlier, she had undergone bilateral implantation of additive iris implants for aesthetic purposes, without any complication or ocular trauma during the follow-up. Ocular examination showed bilateral mild corneal edema, iris atrophy, and presence of pigment in the endothelium. Increased IOP (28 mmHg) was identified in the right eye. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) confirmed the decentration of the iris implant from the pupillary axis in that eye. Gonioscopy demonstrated pigment dispersion in both eyes, as well as a tendency to bilateral angle closure, that was also illustrated by AS-OCT analysis. Endothelial cell count was 1268 cells/mm² in the right eye and 1122 cells/mm² in the left eye. The presence of both implants was affecting corneal endothelium and anterior chamber angle in both eyes, and additionally, the decentration of the device in the case of the right eye led to secondary ocular hypertension in that eye.

Cosmetic implants in contact to the iris can remain quiescent for years, leading to possible complications that can present even in the long-term. The degree of implant decentration, the stage of angle closure disease and the magnitude of pigment dispersion may be some important factors related to the onset time of complications in these cases.