Skip navigation

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/8750.htm

Coloboma of the iris

Coloboma of the iris

Overview

A coloboma is a defect in the iris of the eye. It can appear as a black notch of varying depth at the edge of the pupil, giving the pupil an irregular shape. Coloboma is a congenital iris defect. Sometimes eye surgery or trauma can cause a defect that looks like a coloboma.

Review Date 12/9/2021

Updated by: Franklin W. Lusby, MD, Ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La Jolla, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.