Cost-effective tattooing: the use of sterile ink for corneal tattooing after complicated peripheral iridotomies: an alternative to expensive salts.

Corneal staining (tattooing) has been advocated in the management of patients with corneal leucomata, iris malformations or following iridotomies. Functional visual benefits can result from the reduction of aberrant light directed through iris defects that may cause glare and light scatter, in addition to cosmetic improvements for those with opacification. Inks, classified as stationery or cosmetic products, offer an economic alternative to currently available classical corneal staining agents (metallic salts). Furthermore, they may be used to good clinical effect with an intrastromal lamellar pocket technique.