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Last Updated: Sep 2009
Last Updated: Sep 2009
A doctor can recommend corneal transplantation only after a careful examination of the eye. The most common reasons for performing the operation are:
- Injury to the eye. Sometimes an injury will damage the cornea so severely that it will not heal correctly. The cornea plays an important role in vision, so even a small injury to it can greatly reduce vision. The doctor might recommend a corneal transplant to improve vision or, in more serious injuries, a transplant might be the only way to close the wound in the eye.
Medical conditions. Some infections of the eye can cause damage to the cornea that will not heal. There are also certain medical conditions that make the cornea very thin or cloudy, or cause other problems that can only be treated by replacing the cornea.
- Pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. Some people experience corneal swelling and clouding after cataract surgery. This is known as pseudophakic bullous keratopathy and is a common reason for corneal transplants.
- Keratoconus. Sometimes the cornea is thin and weak, and the normal pressure inside the eye makes the cornea bulge outward in a cone shape. This is called keratoconus, and it causes severe vision problems. If these problems are very troublesome, the doctor might recommend a corneal transplant. More information is available in the Keratoconus fact sheet available from the Cole Eye Institute.
- Injury to the eye. Sometimes an injury will damage the cornea so severely that it will not heal correctly. The cornea plays an important role in vision, so even a small injury to it can greatly reduce vision. The doctor might recommend a corneal transplant to improve vision or, in more serious injuries, a transplant might be the only way to close the wound in the eye.
Medical conditions. Some infections of the eye can cause damage to the cornea that will not heal. There are also certain medical conditions that make the cornea very thin or cloudy, or cause other problems that can only be treated by replacing the cornea.
- Pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. Some people experience corneal swelling and clouding after cataract surgery. This is known as pseudophakic bullous keratopathy and is a common reason for corneal transplants.
- Keratoconus. Sometimes the cornea is thin and weak, and the normal pressure inside the eye makes the cornea bulge outward in a cone shape. This is called keratoconus, and it causes severe vision problems. If these problems are very troublesome, the doctor might recommend a corneal transplant. More information is available in the Keratoconus fact sheet available from the Cole Eye Institute.
In corneal transplantation a diseased or scarred cornea is replaced with a healthy one. Special microsurgical instruments are used to remove the diseased part of the cornea and replace it with a transparent donor cornea. Fine nylon sutures secure the donor cornea in place, and antibiotics are administered locally to prevent infection. The eye is dressed with sterile gauze pads and a protective shield. Following surgery, the eye needs to be protected and eye drops applied for several months to promote healing. Some patients get good vision in two to three months, while others must wait for complete healing, which occurs at about a year.
Corneal transplantation enjoys a high success rate. The most important factors determining success are the underlying disease process and the quality of the tissue used during transplantation. Should the body reject a new cornea, it can be successfully treated if medication is administered at the first sign of symptoms. For this reason it is important that patients immediately report sudden changes in their condition (eye redness, sensitivity to light, decreased vision, pain in the eye) to their surgeon.
Corneal transplantation enjoys a high success rate. The most important factors determining success are the underlying disease process and the quality of the tissue used during transplantation. Should the body reject a new cornea, it can be successfully treated if medication is administered at the first sign of symptoms. For this reason it is important that patients immediately report sudden changes in their condition (eye redness, sensitivity to light, decreased vision, pain in the eye) to their surgeon.
