Jun 24th 2020
Posted by Accuspire
Corneal Transplantation And Endothelial Keratoplasty
Cornea, the front part of eye is made up of multiple layer of cells which works together to protect the eye and provide clear vision. The cornea must be healthy and smooth for clear vision and if it is damaged, light will not focus properly on eyes. In turn the vision gets blurred. A corneal transplant is done if the cornea cannot be repaired. The replacement cornea is usually brought from a donor usually after his death. They are examined to make sure that it is healthy and safe.
Different types of corneal transplant are there according to the condition. The front and Middle layer is replaced in some cases and in other cases the inner layer is only removed. In some other cases the entire cornea is replaced.
The cornea can be damaged because of an eye injury or disease. Some of the other problems are keratoconus, scar on cornea or Fuch's dystrophy.
Full thickness corneal transplant:
This is done when the entire cornea is damaged, that is, when both the inner and outer layers are damaged. It is known as penetrating keratoplasty. The damaged cornea is removed and the new cornea is placed. It has a longer recovery period and getting complete vision may take up even a year. It also has a slight risk as our body's immune system may attack the new corneal tissue.
Partial thickness corneal transplant:
It is done to replace the front and middle layer of the cornea. It is also known as deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK). It is commonly done to treat keratoconus or a bulged cornea. The healing time is shorter.
Endothelial keratoplasty:
This is done to replace the innermost layer of the cornea the help of a healthy donor tissue. Some of the types are Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty and Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty. A small incision is done to remove the damaged cornea.
Consult your doctor to know more about corneal transplants and which one suits you.
