Corneal Transplantation Procedure Called Keratoplasty

Corneal Transplantation is the oldest and most common form of medical procedure that repairs the damaged or diseased cornea with better body tissue by the use of transplantation of a cornea
from one individual to another. This is a classical treatment for several types of blindness caused
by diseases.

The cornea is the transparent and dome-shaped surface of our eye. It is where the light passes on to our eye and it plays a vital role in the eye’s capacity to see clearly. A cornea transplant can help bring back vision, reduce pain and develop the external appearance of a damaged or diseased cornea. Most corneal transplants are successful but may carry a small risk of complications such as the rejection of donor cornea.

Some eye conditions that can be treated with a cornea transplant are as follows:
– Keratoconus (the cornea is bulging outward)
– Fuchs’ dystrophy (the cornea thickens and becomes blurry)
– Thinning of the cornea
– Tearing or scarring of the cornea
– Swelling of the cornea
– Corneal ulcers
– Complications caused by previous eye surgery

A full-thickness corneal transplant is called keratoplasty. Trephine, a cutting instrument shaped like a circle, is used to remove the damaged cornea. Sometimes, a laser is also used. The donor cornea is held in place by stitching which leads to it having patterns on the edges that are shaped like a star. This surgery is done under local or general anesthesia and lasts for 1 hour. A partial-thickness transplant is when allowed parts of the cornea are to be transplanted. This surgery takes a longer time to conduct but result in an earlier recovery time and a lesser threat of complications. This surgery is also done using either local or general anesthesia. According to the Eye Bank Association of America, over 40,000 corneal transplants are performed in the United States. The formation of Eye Banks is a result of advanced corneal preservation techniques and progressive efforts to encourage eye donations.