Cornea transplant
Cornea transplants are usually performed to correct problems with youreyesight caused by certain medical conditions.
Theyare also sometimes used to relieve pain in a damaged or diseased eye,or to treat emergencies such as severe infection or damage.
Some of the most common reasons for requiring a cornea transplant are described below.
Keratoconus is a condition that causes the cornea to weaken, get thinner and change shape. It affectsbetween 1 in 3,000 to 1 in 10,000 people. The exact cause of the condition is unknown.There may be a genetic link, and it's more common in people with multipleallergic conditions, such as eczema and asthma.
Keratoconus is one of the most common reasons for corneal transplantation in younger patients. It doesn't usually appear until the early teens, but can occasionally occur earlier.
Many cases of keratoconus are mild and can be managed by using contact lenses or glasses. But in some patients it can progress to the point where a cornea transplant is necessary.
Certain conditions may affect the eyes and cause them to slowly develop problems over time.
One example is Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy, where thefunctioning of the cells lining the inner cornea (the endothelium) begins to deteriorate.This happens faster as you get older. As the cells weaken, instead of clearing excess fluid, they allow it to build up, leading to cloudy vision.
A cornea transplant may also be performed if:
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A cornea transplant is an operation used to remove all or part of a damaged cornea and replace it with healthy cornea tissue from the eye of a suitable donor.
Cornea transplants are usually performed to correct problems with your eyesight caused by certain medical conditions.
There are a number of different types of cornea transplant procedure, depending on the areas of the cornea that need to be replaced.
As with all types of surgery, there are several risks and possible complications involved with having a cornea transplant.
It's important to take good care of your eye after a cornea transplant to help ensure a good recovery and reduce the risk of complications.
Paul Rigg says getting his sight back after a cornea transplant was like waking up after a long sleep.
Don Short, 80, from East Sussex, couldn't read a book or newspaper and was unable to watch TV until he had a cornea graft.