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Your cornea protects your eye and helps focus light for clear vision. Over time, disease or injury can damage this vital part can change over time due to disease or injury. Luckily, CEENTA offers corneal transplants for qualified candidates.
For patients like Valerie, a corneal transplant can be life changing. After surgery, she said, “I can see a blanket of stars and other things you never think about.”
Also known as keratoplasty, a corneal transplant is a surgical procedure to replace damaged corneal tissue with donor tissue.
Your cornea can be affected by several conditions that may require a corneal transplant, including:
Fuchs dystrophy is a progressive eye condition in which the innermost layer of the cornea deteriorates, resulting in blurred vision and halos.
Keratoconus is another progressive eye condition which is characterized by thinning and bulging of the cornea, leading to loss of best corrected vision.
Chemical burns, infections, and full punctures of the cornea can also be treated with a new cornea.
There are several variations of corneal transplants depending on your specific needs, such as:
During this procedure, also known as penetrating keratoplasty, the entire cornea is replaced.
For patients who only require the front and middle layers of the cornea to be removed, a deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) can be considered.
When the innermost cornea layer is causing vision issues, your surgeon may suggest Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK) or Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK). These are advanced techniques that replace only the innermost layer of the cornea for faster recovery
Your surgeon will utilize one or more methods of anesthesia, including topical anesthesia, a local nerve block or general anesthesia, depending on the surgery. The damaged corneal tissue is removed and replaced with donor tissue. For full-thickness corneal transplants, the donor tissue will be held in place with very small sutures.
After the surgery, your physician will provide postop instructions for corneal transplant recovery such as:
According to the Medical College of Virginia Foundation, corneal transplants have an estimated 90% success rate with relatively few instances of donor rejection.
“Corneal transplant surgery is both rewarding and exciting, due to the high success rates and continued innovation in the field," says Jeff Stetler, MD, a cornea specialist who practices at CEENTA SouthPark. "Over time, corneal transplants have become more targeted to the specific area of disease, which has allowed for better outcomes and faster recoveries.”
Corneal transplants are recommended for patients whose vision impairment stems from corneal diseases or injuries and who have not found success with glasses or contact lenses.
The best way to see if you’re a candidate for this procedure is through a comprehensive exam with a cornea specialist. At CEENTA, our fellowship-trained surgeons can examine the extent of your corneal damage and determine which transplant option is best for you.
Get started today by scheduling your cornea appointment with Dr. Jeff Stetler online or through myCEENTAchart.
This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor.
CEENTA ophthalmologist Jeff Stetler, MD, appeared on WSOC's The Daily Two on March 26th, 2024 to discuss cornea health, conditions, and surgery.
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