Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2020 Jan;68(1):7-14.
doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_1151_19.

Management of corneal perforations: An update

Rashmi Deshmukh  1 , Louis J Stevenson  2 , Rasik Vajpayee  2
Affiliations
Review

Management of corneal perforations: An update

Rashmi Deshmukh et al. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2020 Jan.

Abstract

Corneal perforation is a potentially devastating complication that can result from numerous conditions that precipitate corneal melting. It is associated with significant morbidity and prompt intervention is necessary to prevent further complications. Causes include microbial keratitis, ocular surface disease, and autoimmune disorders and trauma. Various management options have been described in the literature to facilitate visual rehabilitation. This rview discusses the treatment options that range from temporising measures such as corneal gluing through to corneal transplantation, with decision making guided by the location, size, and underlying aetiology of the perforation.

Keywords: Corneal perforation; infective keratitis; sterile corneal melt.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

None

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Small corneal perforation prior to the application of glue (b) Corneal perforation sealed using cyanoacrylate glue
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Corneal perforation prior to application of Tenon's patch graft (b) Corneal perforation successfully sealed using a Tenon's patch graft, secured using glue
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Corneal perforation secondary to herpes simplex viral (HSV) keratitis (b) Corneal perforation secondary to herpes simplex viral (HSV) keratitis managed using a lamellar keratoplasty
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Corneal perforation with iridocorneal adhesion (b) Corneal perforation with iridocorneal adhesion managed using lamellar keratoplasty, allowing for iris preservation
Figure 5
Figure 5
Corneal perforation in a neurotrophic cornea
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a) Peripheral corneal perforation (b) Peripheral corneal perforation managed using a tectonic patch graft
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Lekskul M, Fracht HU, Cohen EJ, Rapuano CJ, Laibson PR. Nontraumatic corneal perforation. Cornea. 2000;19:313–9. - PubMed
    1. Jhanji V, Young AL, Mehta JS, Sharma N, Agarwal T, Vajpayee RB. Management of corneal perforation. Surv Ophthalmol. 2011;56:522–38. - PubMed
    1. Refojo MF, Dohlman CH, Ahmad B, Carroll JM, Allen JC. Evaluation of adhesives for corneal surgery. Arch Ophthalmol. 1968;80:645–56. - PubMed
    1. Grinstaff MW. Designing hydrogel adhesives for corneal wound repair. Biomaterials. 2007;28:5205–14. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kim HK, Park HS. Fibrin glue-assisted augmented amniotic membrane transplantation for the treatment of large noninfectious corneal perforations. Cornea. 2009;28:170–6. - PubMed