Corneal transplantation

Corneal transplantation is surgery that replaces all or part of a damaged cornea with donor corneal tissue to restore its structure or function.

Penetrating keratoplasty: A full-thickness corneal transplant that replaces the central cornea with a donor button. This traditional technique replaces the entire corneal thickness.
Keratoconus: A progressive corneal disorder in which the cornea thins and bulges into an irregular cone. Advanced cases with scarring or severe distortion may require transplantation.
Cornea: The transparent, curved front surface of the eye that protects it and supplies much of its focusing power. Transplantation replaces tissue from this transparent outer structure.
Phototherapeutic keratectomy: A laser procedure that removes superficial corneal tissue to treat selected scars, deposits, or surface irregularities. It can treat some surface disease without transplanting donor tissue.
Endothelial keratoplasty: A partial-thickness transplant that replaces diseased corneal endothelium and supporting tissue. It repairs the inner corneal layers without removing healthy outer tissue.
Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy: An inherited disorder in which corneal endothelial cells gradually fail, causing swelling and impaired vision. Endothelial keratoplasty can replace the failing cell layer while preserving most of the cornea.
Corneal stroma: The thick middle layer of the cornea, made mainly of regularly arranged collagen and supporting cells. Its architecture determines much of corneal clarity and is retained in some partial grafts.
Corneal collagen cross-linking: A treatment that strengthens corneal collagen using riboflavin and ultraviolet-A light. It can slow keratoconus progression before structural damage necessitates a graft.
Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty: A partial-thickness transplant that replaces diseased anterior corneal tissue while retaining the recipient endothelium. It preserves the recipient’s healthy inner layer when disease is confined to the front.
Bullous keratopathy: Corneal swelling with epithelial blisters caused by failure of the corneal endothelium. A transplant may restore clarity when endothelial failure causes persistent swelling.

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