Corneal Transplantation
Using Donor Corneas to Restore Vision
When your cornea (the clear outer layer of your eye) becomes damaged, you can experience vision loss, pain and visible changes to the appearance of your eyes. At South Texas Eye Consultants, our doctors are specially trained to provide corneal transplant surgery in Corpus Christi, TX. This delicate process involves removing all or part of a damaged cornea and replacing it with healthy tissue from a donor in order to restore vision and alleviate pain.
- Penetrating Keratoplasty (PK): full thickness transplant
- Descemet’s Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK): partial thickness transplant
Conditions That Can Damage Corneas
- Trauma/injury
- Genetics
- Diseases (such as shingles, ocular herpes)
- Eye disease
- Corneal dystrophy (structural problems with the cornea)
- Inflammation and infection
- Corneal scarring or thinning
- Extreme corneal bulging (keratoconus)
- Corneal ulcers
There were over 46,000 corneal transplants performed in the United States in 2011, according to the Eye Bank Association of America. We can thank the thousands of eye donors for helping restore the vision of so many people. While this procedure is considered relatively safe, you should discuss the potential complications of corneal transplants, including:
- Infection
- Rejection of the donor cornea
- Glaucoma
- Cataracts
- Swelling
If you are experiencing vision problems, contact us today to schedule an eye exam. Our doctors can determine the cause of your vision issues and recommend treatment options.