Corneal Transplantation

The cornea is a thin clear layer of tissue that covers the eye like a window. The function of the cornea is to focus light rays on the retina and protect delicate working parts of the eye from injury. To stay clear, the cornea must be healthy.

When the cornea is damaged either by injury, disease, or hereditary conditions, it may become swollen or scarred. These scars cause the cornea to scatter or distort light resulting in reduced vision, sometimes to the point of blindness.

If a cornea becomes cloudy the only way to restore sight is to replace, or transplant, the cornea. Corneal transplant is the most successful of all tissue transplants. This microsurgical procedure is extremely delicate. The surgery involves removing the button-shaped portion of the damaged cornea. A clear donor cornea is then stitched into place with very fine sutures. As with any surgical procedure, complications and/or side effects may occur. Your ophthalmologist will decide when to remove the stitches, usually depending on the health of your eye and the rate of your recovery.

Our practice uses sophisticated corneal analysis equipment:

• Specular microscopy - a method to analyze the health of the cells responsible for keeping the cornea from swelling
  
• Corneal pachymetry – a method to analyze corneal thickness. Important in both glaucoma, refractive surgery and in analysis of corneal health
  
• Corneal topography – a method to analyze the optical qualities of the cornea and to determine areas for suture removal in corneal transplant