Colobomas in Children

Key-hole Pupil

An iris shaped like a keyhole is called an iris coloboma. A coloboma is a congenital abnormality of the eye that occurs when one or more parts of the eye don’t close correctly during development in the womb. Although it may appear to impact vision, an iris coloboma often does not hurt vision. However, you can have colobomas of other eye structures that may affect vision, such as retinal or optic nerve colobomas. A child with an iris coloboma needs to have a complete eye exam to rule out other more concerning eye conditions. Colobomas may be a sign of serious systemic abnormalities or syndromes, especially if both eyes are affected.

To schedule an appointment, call (509) 456-0107