What is a corneal transplant?
Corneal transplants are one of medicine’s most successful transplant operations.
The procedure involves removing the cornea from the donor eye with a special instrument resembling a small cookie cutter. The same method is used to remove the damaged cornea from the patient’s eye. The surgeon then stitches the new cornea into place.
For many individuals, a corneal transplant may be the only hope for restored vision, and may be necessary when the cornea is cloudy or damaged due to disease, injury, accident, or hereditary conditions. In these situations, the cornea must be removed and replaced with healthy donor tissue. The procedure is successful in 90 percent of cases, restoring sight and, in some cases, even providing sight for the first time.
Indications for corneal transplant include:
- Corneal ulcers, a type of infection that often leads to scarring
- Trauma
- Fuch’s Dystrophy
- Keratoconus
- Bullens keratopathy
Types of transplants:
Penetrating keratoplasty-full thickness
Lamellar transplant such as DMEK.
