The cornea is the clear layer of the front surface of the eye that allows light to enter the eye. A healthy, clear cornea is essential for good vision. If the cornea becomes damaged or diseased, vision may become distorted. In some cases, the only way to restore eyesight is through a corneal transplant from a human donor. In this blog post, Dr. Sandra Belmont of Belmont Eye Center discusses when a corneal transplant becomes necessary.
WHEN A CORNEAL TRANSPLANT BECOMES NECESSARY
There are many conditions that can affect the clarity of the entire cornea, including:
- Scarring from infections, such as fungal keratitis
- Scarring from trichiasis (inward eyelash growth)
- Hereditary eye conditions such as Fuchs’ dystrophy
- Eye diseases such as advanced keratoconus
- Thinning of the cornea
- Irregular corneal shape
- Rare complications from LASIK surgery
- Rare corneal failure after cataract surgery
- Chemical burns of the cornea
- Excessive swelling of the cornea
- Eye trauma or injury
A corneal transplant becomes necessary when vision cannot be restored with eyeglasses or contact lenses, or if painful swelling cannot be relieved by medications or special contact lenses.
CORNEAL TRANSPLANT SURGERY OPTIONS
Dr. Belmont, a skilled eye surgeon, offers several approaches to corneal transplant surgery, including:
Penetrating Keratoplasty (PK). During PK, Dr. Belmont removes the damaged cornea and replaces it with the healthy donor cornea. The donor cornea is carefully sutured into place.
IntraLase Enabled Keratoplasty (IEK). IEK is an advanced approach to PK that employs a laser for added precision. Dr. Belmont uses the IntraLase femtosecond laser to shape the patient’s corneal tissue so it matches the donor tissue. IEK typically leads to faster healing and recovery, and possibly better visual results than PK.
Descemet’s Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK). This procedure involves removing and replacing only a portion of the cornea (the thin layer that houses the cornea’s endothelial cells). The procedure may be appropriate for patients with impaired endothelial cells that cause corneal inflammation (keratitis).
CONTACT BELMONT EYE CENTER TODAY
To learn more about corneal transplant surgery, schedule a consultation with Dr. Sandra Belmont. Please contact the Belmont Eye Center by calling (212) 486-2020.
