Cornea Transplant
A corneal transplant involves replacement of a damaged cornea with a healthy one from a donor. An unhealthy cornea affects the vision by either not allowing light to enter the eye or causing significant or distortion of light. This causes blurry vision. A cornea transplant is required to restore functional vision.
Who All Can Benefit from Corneal Transplantation?
- Corneal transplantation may be required in various eye diseases which can include the following:
- Opacities in cornea due to previous infections such as corneal ulcer, herpes of the eye or eye injury.
- Keratoconus and other similar diseases which result in thinning and irregular shape of the cornea.
- Corneal failure (Bullous Keratopathy) from previous surgeries or injuries causing edema
- Complications of Excimer laser surgeries.
- Chemical burns on the cornea
The Procedure
Once it’s decided that a corneal transplant is required, the patient’s name is listed at a registered centre. The Eye Bank collects eyes from donors and processes the tissue for use. The tissue is checked for clarity and any diseases. The donor is also meticulously screened for diseases such as hepatitis, syphills and HIV to ensure the health and safety of the recipient. Corneal transplants are usually under local anaesthesia as a daycare procedure and lasts approx. 1-2 hours.
Recovery Period After Surgery
Initially the vision is blurry after the surgery but will gradually continue to improve for up to a year. Heavy exercise and lifting are prohibited for the first few weeks. However, the patient can return to normal daily activities and start professional work within 1-2 weeks after surgery.
