Separation of the iris pigment epithelium

Surgical repair of traumatic corneal and scleral lacerations with uveal prolapse postoperatively disclosed a separation of the pigment epithelium. Posterior synechiae and a dense occlusion of the pupil tightly bound the papillary margin to the lens capsule. Traumatic, surgical, and mydriatic agents tore the anterior pigment epithelium layer loose from the adherent pupillary margin and induced a complete separation of the iris along the original lumen of the embryonic cup, between the two epithelial layers. Once the consolidated fibrin cleared, the posterior pigment layer retraccted from the visual axis but did not reattach to the iris.