Corneal Transplant

A corneal transplant, or keratoplasty, is a surgical procedure to replace a damaged cornea.

The procedure involves removing either your entire cornea or a portion of it and replacing it with healthy tissue. Except in certain cases, the new corneas used in corneal transplants are entirely natural and come from the bodies of those who have chosen to donate their organs.

If you know that your cornea has been damaged for some reason, you should consider contacting an ophthalmologist at New Vision Ophthalmology.

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What Are Corneal Transplants Used For?

An ophthalmologist performs corneal transplants to resolve issues with the cornea of the eye.

The cornea is transparent and allows light to enter the eyes. When the cornea is damaged, there may be pain, vision loss, and visible aberrations of the eye, such as discoloration and scarring.

Your ophthalmologist may recommend a corneal transplant for various problems related to the eyes, such as:

  • Keratoconus — a condition where the cornea bulges outward
  • Certain eye diseases — Fuch’s dystrophy and some other inherited eye diseases may warrant a corneal transplant
  • Past eye surgery — unexpected negative consequences from certain eye operations may call for a corneal transplant
  • Infection — cornea infections and ulcers
  • Eye trauma — eye injuries and infections can cause cornea scarring, necessitating a corneal transplant
  • Damaged cornea — if the cornea is swollen, thinning, or clouding, your ophthalmologist may recommend a corneal transplant

Types Of Corneal Transplant

Various types of corneal transplants are available. The one recommended for you would depend upon the reason why you need the transplant.

Endothelial Keratoplasty (EK)

The endothelium and a thin layer of tissue that shields the endothelium from damage and infection are removed during this procedure. The excised tissue is replaced with donor tissue.

Two kinds of endothelial keratoplasty exist: Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) and Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK).

DSEK involves replacing about a third of the cornea with donor cornea tissue. With DMEK, only a very thin layer of donor cornea tissue is used.

Penetrating Keratoplasty (PK)

In this type of corneal transplant, the surgeon makes a precise circular incision through the full thickness of the cornea in order to remove a small round disk of cornea tissue. Then the donor tissue of the same size and shape is sewn into place.

Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (ALK)

Leaving the rear endothelial layer as it is, the surgeon excises bad tissue from the topmost corneal layers and then grafts healthy donor tissue in place.

Artificial Corneal Transplant

When it’s not possible to use live cornea tissue from donors, artificial corneas can be used. This is called keratoprosthesis.

Am I A Candidate For A Corneal Transplant?

To be considered a good candidate for a corneal transplant, you:

  • Have a hereditary condition that results in cornea failure, or
  • Have reasonable exception of a favorable outcome from a corneal transplant, or
  • Have functional vision, but undergo challenges during daily tasks, or
  • Have vision problems that can’t be resolved with corrective eyewear such as contact lenses and prescription eyeglasses, or
  • Underwent a previous corneal transplant procedure, but the tissue was rejected

A corneal transplant could restore your vision or bring it back to acceptable levels. Talk to your ophthalmologist at New Vision Ophthalmology to get more information about this surgical procedure.