Corneal Transplants

The cornea, the clear covering of the eye, can become diseased or damaged by several conditions, including keratoconus, corneal edema, and corneal dystrophy. The cornea can also swell after cataract surgery or display scarring. In these cases, diseased, scarred, swollen, or irregular corneas can be replaced by a corneal transplant. Corneal transplants are usually performed using a healthy donor cornea, and enjoy a high success rate.

The Corneal Transplant Procedure

In a corneal transplant procedure, about two-thirds of the diseased or damaged cornea is removed and a clear, healthy donor cornea is grafted onto the eye. Fine nylon sutures secure the new cornea in place, and antibiotics are administered to prevent infection. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis with local anesthesia, and occasionally general anesthesia.

When you leave our facility you will wear a patch and a shield. This will be removed the next day at your follow up visit at the doctor's office. After that you will be wearing dark glasses during the day and a protective shield at night only. Your vision will be blurry for approximately 3 - 6 months.

At 3 months you will start having your sutures removed and they should all be removed by the end of 6 months a little longer if you are older. At the end of 6 months you will be fitted with glasses or contact lenses. During the whole 6-month period you will take anti -rejection drops and antibiotic drops approximately 4 times a day.

For the first 6 weeks heavy exercise and lifting of heavy objects will be prohibited but otherwise you can live a normal life. Most people return to work 3-7 days after their surgery depending on the type of work they do.