Cornea Transplant: Risk factors, and Types
The cornea is the transparent anterior portion of the eyes. The clear dome-shaped layer that covers the anterior or front part of the eyes. It helps to focus on the vision. In Cornea transplant or corneal graft; the tissue or graft is taken from a recently died donor who had no disease or any other factors that can cause damage to the grafted tissue (of the recipient). An ophthalmologist performs corneal transplant surgery.
Types of cornea transplant:
- Penetrating keratoplasty, in this type of transplant the whole cornea is replaced.
- Lamellar keratoplasty, in this type of transplant the inner end of the cornea is transplanted.
Keratoplasty means corneal transplant.
Indications/conditions where cornea transplant is needed:
- To improve the visual acuity of the recipient by replacing the opaque or distorted cornea by a healthy cornea of the donor.
- To reconstruct the anatomy of the eyes.
- To remove inflamed corneal tissue which is not responding to any medicines.
- For cosmetic purposes.
Risk of corneal transplant:
It is a very safe procedure. The complications associated with this procedure is very rare, however, if present these are the following serious complications:
- Eye infection
- Glaucoma or increase in intraocular pressure
- Increased risk of cataract
- Rejection of the donated cornea
- Swelling of the cornea
Signs of rejection of cornea transplant:
- Loss of vision
- Pain in eyes
- Redness of eyes very often
- Sensitive to light
How to prepare for the surgery:
Before surgery the doctor accesses the patient and examines the following :
- A thorough examination of eyes is done to reduce complications after a cornea transplant.
- Determine the size of how much donor cornea cells will be required for the transplant.
- To treat ailments of the eyes which can cause inflammation or infection in the eyes after the surgery.
During the transplant:
Anaesthesia is administered to the patient, the anaesthesia can either be local or General depending on many factors like age, health, eye injury, or disease of the patient
In penetrating keratoplasty, which is the most common type cornea transplant the doctor cut through the entire corneal thickening and remove a small button-sized corneal disc and replace it by the healthy donor cornea cells.
In Lamellar keratoplasty, the anterior or the endothelial cells of the diseased cornea is removed and replaced by the healthy donor cornea cells.
The patient in whom the surgery was conducted on local anaesthesia and was awake during the procedure did not complain of any discomfort during the procedure.
Post-surgery care:
- After the surgery, the patient is advised to use certain eye drops and rarely some oral medicines are also given to prevent any infection and to fasten the process of healing also.
- Wearing a patch helps to heal the eyes after surgery as it prevents exposure to very bright light.
- Visit the doctor often for Post-operative follow-ups.