Corneal tattooing for esthetic purposes in patients with corneal opacities

Abstract

Purpose: This study evaluated corneal tattooing for esthetic purposes in patients with corneal opacification.

Methods: Eight eyes of eight patients were included in the study (four males and four females). Corneal tattooing was achieved by stromal puncture in five patients, femtosecond laser-assisted corneal tattooing in two patients, and femtosecond laser-assisted corneal tattooing and stromal needling (combined procedure) in one patient. In six of the patients, the entire cornea was stained black; in one patient, the center of the cornea (3 mm) was stained black and the periphery was stained dark brown; and in the last patient, the corneal periphery was stained dark brown. Patient satisfaction was evaluated on the first day after surgery and at the last visit as follows: Very satisfied (4), satisfied (3), moderately satisfied (3), and not satisfied (1).

Results: The patients ranged in age from 11-80 years. The mean satisfaction score of the patients was 4 and 3.5 on the first postoperative day and at the last visit, respectively. No complication occurred during or after surgery.

Conclusion: Corneal tattooing for esthetic purposes was successful in both blind eyes and seeing eyes.

Keywords: Corneal opacity; corneal tattoo; esthetic purpose.

Figure 1

An illustration of stromal puncture method

Figure 2

Femtosecond laser profile and energy selection in Case 3 and 7 (total 9.5 mm intracorneal 200 μm depth lamellar incision and 15° side incision plan at 90°)

Figure 3

Femtosecond laser profile of Case 2 (ıntracorneal 200 μm depth lamellar incision with an outer diameter of 9.5 mm and an inner diameter of 8 mm, and 2 15° lateral incisions at 0°–180°)

Figure 4

Preoperative and postoperative views of the cases