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Corneal Transplantation
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What is corneal blindness/ visual impairment?
The cornea is the transparent, dome-shaped tissue covering the front of the eye. It is a powerful refracting surface and provides about 2/3rd of the eye's focusing power. It gives us a clear window to look through and is very important for good vision. Diseases of the cornea lead to loss of its transparency, thus reducing the vision.
Injury, infection, genetic diseases and malnutrition can affect the functioning of the cornea. The cornea becomes cloudy or warped due to disease, injury or infection. A damaged cornea distorts light as it enters the eye causing decreased vision. This kind of visual impairment is called corneal blindness. This is the only type of visual impairment that can be treated by corneal transplantation.
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What is a Corneal Transplant?
A corneal transplant involves replacing a diseased or scarred cornea with a clear, healthy donor cornea. For many individuals, a corneal transplant may be the only hope for vision restoration, and may be necessary when the cornea is cloudy or damaged due to disease, injury, accident, malnutrition or hereditary conditions.
Are You a Cornea Transplant Candidate?
Your eye doctor may suggest a corneal transplant for reasons varying from diseases to eye injuries, which can include the following: |
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- Scarring from infections, such as eye viral, fungal or bacterial keratitis.
- Hereditary corneal diseases or dystrophies
- Thinning of the cornea and irregular shape (such as with keratoconus)
- Corneal decompensation (swelling) due to previous eye surgeries.
- Complications following LASIK.
- Chemical burns of the cornea.
- Scars from an eye injury.
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Cornea Transplant Procedure
- First, you have to register yourself for a corneal transplant.
- The waiting period for a donor eye varies depending upon the voluntary eye donation.
- Typically, corneal transplants are performed on an outpatient basis under local or general anesthesia, meaning that you will not need hospitalization.
- A round, button – shaped section of tissue is removed from your diseased or injured cornea and nearly identical – shaped button from the donor tissue is then sutured its place.
Important tips on care after surgery
- Do not lift heavy weights.
- Do not bend so that your head is lower than your waist.
- Avoid sleeping on the operated side.
- Do not rub the operated eye.
- Avoid any vigorous activity.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages.
- Watch television for short periods only.
Recovering From a Cornea Transplant
- The total recovery time for a corneal transplant may be up to a year or longer. Initially, your vision will be blurry and the site of your corneal transplant may be swollen and slightly thicker than the rest of your cornea.
- Steroid eye drops will be prescribed for several months to help your body accept the new corneal graft.
- Stitches may be removed 3 to 17 months post-surgery, depending on the amount of astigmatism resulting from an irregular eye surface.
Sight after a Cornea Transplant
Your vision will fluctuate during the first three months following your surgery, so it is advisable to wait for that time period or until all of your sutures have been removed to give an eyeglass prescription.
Cornea Graft Rejection-danger signs
Most corneal transplants are successful. Nevertheless, recognizing the warning signs is the best way to prevent corneal transplant rejection. Familiarize yourself with the four main signs by remembering the acronym RSVP:
- Redness
- Extreme Sensitivity to light
- Decreased Vision
- Pain
Rejection signs may occur as early as one month or as late as five years after surgery. Should your graft fail, the corneal transplant can be repeated, generally with good results. However, overall rejection rates increase with the number of corneal transplants you have.
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