Provided is an inflatable ring device useful for expanding the iris prior to ophthalmic surgery. The ring is either continuous or discontinuous and includes a groove around the outer periphery of the ring. When inflated, the groove engages the inner periphery of the iris and continued inflation thereby expands the iris to a desired size allowing increased access to the eye. The invention also provides a method of expanding the iris prior to performing ophthalmic surgery comprising placing an inflatable ring shaped device in the anterior chamber of the eye. Inflating the inflatable ring shaped device until a groove around the outer periphery of the ring shaped device engages the iris and continued inflation of the ring shaped device continues to expand the iris to a desired size.
