A cornea transplant is a surgical procedure to replace part of your cornea with corneal tissue from a donor. A conventional full thickness corneal transplant (penetrating keratoplasty) involves the surgical removal of the diseased or scarred cornea and replacement with clear, healthy donor tissue, which is held in place by sutures. A cornea transplant has the potential to restore vision, reduce pain and improve the appearance of a damaged or diseased cornea. Visual recovery often takes a year or longer. Sometimes the corneal surface is somewhat irregular so a contact lens may be eventually required for the clearest vision. Most cornea transplant procedures are successful. But cornea transplant carries a small risk of complications, such as rejection of the donor cornea.
A number of conditions can be treated with a cornea transplant, including:
If you feel that you may be a candidate for a corneal transplant, call our office to schedule an appointment for evaluation with our corneal specialist, Dr. Smith.