If a cornea becomes cloudy, light is unable to penetrate the eye to reach the retina. This can result in decreased vision or blindness. A corneal transplant is done to replace a diseased or scarred cornea with a new one. Of all tissue transplants, corneal transplants are the most successful with over 40,000 performed in the U.S. each year.

During a corneal transplant procedure, which takes about an hour, the surgeon will remove the central portion of the cloudy cornea and replace it with a clear cornea, usually donated through an eye bank. Patients are given a mild sedative to relax them and the eye is numbed with a local anesthetic. A trephine, an instrument like a cookie cutter, is used to remove the cloudy cornea with a precise, circular cut. The surgeon places the new cut-to-fit cornea in the opening and sews it with a very fine thread, which is removed at a later date. Following surgery, eye drops to help heal will be needed for several months.

DSEK, Descemet’s Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty, is a new form of corneal transplant surgery. It’s sometimes called a partial cornea transplant. Unlike a conventional corneal transplant surgery, DSEK uses a smaller incision and stitches aren’t necessary. For this reason, patients usually experience faster recovery and have less follow-up visits. During the procedure the surgeon uses special instruments to enter the eye through a less than ¼ inch incision in the cornea, or clear part of the eye. The back portion of the cornea is then replaced by a similar piece of healthy graft tissue from a donor. DSEK is not for all patients with corneal disease, so talk to your doctor.

Patients will need to make arrangements for a ride home after the procedure. The doctor will advise patients of any medications they will need to stop taking prior to the procedure. Doctors will also advise about limiting solids and liquids before the procedure. Patients will need to wear a protective eyewear for a period of time afterwards as well.