What is corneal transplantation?
The cornea is the transparent portion of the eye which allows light to enter and performs 2/3rds of the focusing. The cornea also covers both the iris (the coloured portion of the external eye) and the pupil (the reactive ‘light meter’ in front of the lens) The cornea allow lights to enter the eyeball, and the cornea’s convex shape focuses that light towards the pupil and another structure called the lens
Normally, the cornea is smooth and clear. However, injury, disease or certain medical conditions can make it cloudy or difficult to see through. Sometimes this problem can be fixed by removing some part of, or entire thickness of the cornea and replacing it with corneal tissue from an organ donor. This operation is called corneal transplantation.
Is it safe to receive donated corneal tissue?
Yes. The medical history of every organ donor is reviewed carefully, and blood tests are performed to check for infections prior to corneal transplantation. If there is any doubt about the safety of corneal transplantation, the donated tissues are used for medical research instead of being transplanted into a patient’s eye.
Post-Operative Care in a Corneal Transplant
After surgery, it is important not to put any pressure on the eye. It is best not even to touch or rub anywhere near the eye, so the doctor might put a shield over it. Wearing glasses or sunglasses will also help protect the eye.
Your doctor will prescribe eye drops to help the eye heal and prevent infection. It is necessary to keep using some of these medications for a long time after a corneal transplant. Without these medications, the eye is much more likely to have problems with the new corneal tissue.
Full recovery of your eyesight could take up to one year. It is important to be patient and let the swelling go down. You are not going to see perfectly over night or in a few days. Patients who have successful corneal transplants report good vision for years.
You Play the Largest Role in Your Recovery
The best way to avoid problems after corneal transplantation is to follow your doctor’s advice, including using all medications as recommended and keeping all follow-up appointments.
Vision can change rapidly after corneal transplantation, so it is necessary to visit the eye doctor more often than usual.
You should be aware that in a small number of cases, the new corneal tissue is rejected by the body even though the operation was successful, and all medications were taken correctly.
It is not possible to predict exactly how your body will respond to a transplant. It is never fully known how the condition that caused your organ disease will affect your new, transplanted organ. The operation itself is complex and the risks remain high for many patients. After the transplant, you may still need to have surgeries, other procedures in order to help your cornea survive and heal well.
