iridectomy

Term:  iridectomy

 Literally meaning: “incision of iris”

Origin: Anc Greek

=ίρις/iris(=rainbow) > gen ίριδος/iridos 

+ τομή/tome(=section, slice, trunk, stalk) >τέμνω/temno(=cut) 

Coined/History

Iris was the Greek  goddess of the rainbow giving her name to the eye’s iris due to its many colours. The procedure of iredectomy was discovered in 1856 by German physician Albrecht von Graefe (1828-1870)  as an effective surgical method for acute glaucoma treatment.   

Definition

Iridectomy is the surgical removal of part of the iris (coloured circular membrane behind the cornea). An iridectomy is most often performed to treat closed-angle glaucoma or melanoma of the iris.