If your cornea is damaged or if you have an advanced corneal condition, a cornea transplant could save your sight. As the part of your eye that helps focus light on the retina so you can see clearly, a healthy cornea is essential to maintaining good vision.
Corneal transplantation is one of the most commonly performed transplant surgeries. Keep reading to learn 4 important facts about corneal transplant surgery!
1. Corneal Transplant Surgery Has a High Success Rate
Corneal transplantation, also called keratoplasty, is a procedure that involves the replacement or repair of a damaged cornea with a healthy one from an organ donor. Each donor cornea is thoroughly screened to ensure it’s safe for transplant.
Corneal transplantation is one of the most successful organ or tissue transplant surgeries. It can alleviate pain, restore vision, and improve the appearance of a diseased or damaged cornea.
Many patients are able to experience improved and stable vision for many years after the procedure.
2. Corneal Transplant Surgery is Performed for Different Reasons
Your eye doctor may recommend corneal transplantation if you have:
- Corneal damage caused by a previous eye surgery
- Damage to the cornea from injuries or inflammation
- Bullous keratopathy
- Corneal ulcers
- Keratoconus
- Fuchs’ dystrophy
3. There are Different Types of Corneal Transplant Surgeries
There are various kinds of corneal transplant procedures, each targeting a particular layer or layers of the cornea. The different types of corneal transplant procedures include:
Full Thickness Transplant
When the inner and front layers of the cornea are damaged, all the layers of the cornea may have to be replaced. This is known as full thickness corneal transplant or penetrating keratoplasty (PK).
The eye surgeon will remove the damaged or diseased cornea and sew a healthy donor cornea into place. A full thickness transplant has the longest recovery time, as vision improvement after the procedure can take up to a year or more.
Partial Thickness Transplant
If the outer and middle layers of the cornea are damaged, only those are removed and replaced with donor tissue. This is called partial thickness transplant or deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK).
DALK can be a treatment option for patients with advanced keratoconus. The recovery time after partial thickness transplant is shorter than a full thickness transplant.
Endothelial Keratoplasty
You may need endothelial keratoplasty if you have a problem with the endothelium, which is the cornea’s innermost layer. This procedure can be suitable for conditions that only affect the endothelial layer, like Fuchs’ dystrophy.
There are two different types of endothelial keratoplasty transplants:
- Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK), also called DSAEK, is where patients receive a replacement Descemet’s membrane, endothelium, and some stroma from a healthy donor cornea.
- Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) is where patients only receive a donated endothelium and Descemet’s membrane.
4. There’s a Small Risk of Rejection
Like any procedure, corneal transplant surgery has risks. One common risk is rejection of the donor cornea.
Rejection happens when the immune system recognizes and attacks the donor cornea as foreign.
The chances of rejection vary depending on the surgical technique used and certain eye conditions. Conditions like the growth of blood vessels in the cornea, eye infections, and severe dry eye can increase the risk of rejection.
After corneal transplant surgery, you’ll need to use eye drops for approximately a year to minimize the likelihood of rejection. Rejection may require medical treatment or another corneal transplantation.
If you notice any of these symptoms of rejection, contact your eye doctor immediately:
- Vision loss
- Red eyes
- Eye pain
- Vision problems
- Sensitivity to light
Want to learn more about whether corneal transplant surgery could be right for you? Schedule your appointment with Colorado Eye Consultants in Littleton, CO, today!
