Cornea Transplant cost in India

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What is Cornea transplant?

A cornea transplant (keratoplasty) is a surgical procedure to replace part of your cornea with corneal tissue from a donor. Your cornea is the transparent, dome-shaped surface of your eye. It's where light enters your eye and is a large part of your eye's ability to see clearly.A cornea transplant can restore vision, reduce pain, and improve the appearance of a damaged or diseased cornea.

Why it is done?

A number of conditions can be treated with a cornea transplant, including:

• A cornea that bulges outward (keratoconus)
• Fuchs' dystrophy, a hereditary condition
• Thinning or tearing of the cornea
• Cornea scarring, caused by infection or injury
• Swelling of the cornea
• Corneal ulcers not responding to medical treatment
• Complications caused by previous eye surgery

Risks Involved in Surgery

• Eye infection
• Pressure increase within the eyeball (glaucoma)
• Problems with the stitches used to secure the donor cornea
• Rejection of the donor cornea
• Bleeding
• Retinal problems, such as retinal detachment or swelling

Preparations

• A thorough eye exam. Your eye doctor looks for conditions that might cause complications after surgery.
• Measurements of your eye. Your eye doctor determines what size donor cornea you need.
• A review of all medications and supplements you're taking. You may need to stop taking certain medications or supplements before or after your cornea transplant.
• Treatment for other eye problems. Unrelated eye problems, such as infection or inflammation, can reduce your chances of a successful cornea transplant.

Need to find a donor cornea

Corneas used in cornea transplants come from people who have died. Corneas are not used from people who died from unknown causes or from donors who had certain conditions, such as diseases that can spread previous eye surgery or eye disease. Unlike with organs such as livers and kidneys, people needing cornea transplants don't require tissue matching.

Procedure

Your surgeon will recommend one of three surgical options for cornea transplant. The method your surgeon chooses depends on the cause of the damage to the cornea, the condition of your cornea, and your unique needs. In some cases, a corneal transplant may not improve your vision, and your surgeon may recommend against surgery.

Penetrating keratoplasty

Penetrating keratoplasty is also called a full thickness cornea transplantation. Developed over 100 years ago, the modern version of this surgery continues to help thousands of people each year. In this procedure, your surgeon uses a small circular blade to remove the entire center part of the damaged cornea and replaces it with a healthy same-shaped piece of donor cornea.

Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty

If the innermost layer of your cornea is healthy, but the middle and outer layers are damaged, your surgeon may perform a partial thickness cornea transplant. This procedure is also known as deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty. During this surgery, your surgeon removes the middle and outer layers of your cornea and replaces them with healthy corneal tissue.

Endothelial keratoplasty

This procedure may help if the innermost layer of your cornea, the endothelium, is damaged. This thin layer of endothelial tissue is called Descemet’s membrane. Surgeons perform two types of endothelial keratoplasty surgeries:

• Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK)
• Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK)

Each procedure removes damaged endothelial tissue and replaces it with healthy donor tissue. Unlike the other keratoplasty procedures, fewer or no stitches are needed with the endothelial keratoplasty procedures. Instead, an air bubble is used to keep the donor cornea in position. To increase the chance of success, you will need to position yourself face-up for a few days after the surgery so the bubble can keep the corneal tissue in place. The difference between DSAEK and DMEK is the thickness of the donor cornea – DSAEK is thicker, while DMEK is thinner. Your surgeon will decide which type of transplant is best suited for your specific eye condition.

After the procedure

Once your cornea transplant is completed, you can expect to:

• Receive medications. Eyedrops and, sometimes, oral medications immediately after cornea transplant and during recovery will help control infection, swelling and pain. Eyedrops to suppress the immune system help prevent cornea rejections.
• Wear eye protection. Eye shields or glasses protect your eye as it heals.
• Lie on your back. Depending on the type of transplant, you might have to do this for a while after surgery to help the new tissue stay in place.
• Avoid injury. Plan to take it easy after your cornea transplant, and slowly work your way up to your normal activities, including exercise. Don't rub or press on your eye.
• Return for frequent follow-up exams. Expect to see your eye doctor regularly in the year after surgery to monitor your progress and look for complications.