Optical iridectomy: A stop-gap for penetrating keratoplasty in a resource-limited setting

Corneal opacities are a major source of corneal morbidity in Africa and many resource-limited parts of the world. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of specialist corneal services either from lack of manpower or non-availability of materials and tools. This makes penetrating keratoplasty inaccessible from prohibitive cost or lack of donors. The index case was a 45-year-old indigent female farmer who presented with a right atrophic eye and defective vision on the left eye due to stick injury from farm work. Examination revealed a 2/60 eccentric vision and extensive adherent leukoma on the left eye. Superonasal optical iridectomy was done and vision improved to 6/18 with correction at sixth postoperative week. In conclusion, optical iridectomy, in selected patients, can restore useful vision.