Corneal Transplantation
Corneal transplantation, also known as corneal grafting or penetrating keratoplasty, is a surgical procedure where a damaged or diseased cornea is replaced by donated corneal tissue. The cornea is the clear part of eye in front of the iris and pupil. An unhealthy cornea affects your vision by scattering or distorting light and causing blurry or glary vision. A cornea transplant may be necessary to restore your functional vision. The surgical procedure is performed by ophthalmologists, medical doctors who specialize in eyes, and are often done on an outpatient basis. When corneal transplant surgery is indicated, the patient is registered with the Eye Bank. It is performed using general anesthesia or local anesthesia plus IV sedation.
A cornea transplant may be suggested due to any of the following reasons:
Scarring from infections, such as eye herpes or fungal keratitis.
Eye diseases such as keratoconus.
Hereditary factors or corneal failure from previous surgeries.
Thinning of the cornea and irregular shape (such as with keratoconus).
Complications from LASIK.
Chemical burns on the cornea or damage from an eye injury.