What are Corneal Transplants?
The cornea can be thought of as the “window of the eye.” It is a clear structure in the front of the eye, which allows light to pass through to the retina unobstructed. The curvature of the cornea bends the light rays to focus them on the retina producing clear images and normal vision. Several diseases and sometimes trauma to the cornea can alter its structure in a way which produces visual loss. Changes in corneal shape, thickness, or clarity that result in poor vision can often be corrected with transplants. The transplant procedure involves removing a circle of tissue (about 8mm in diameter) from the patient’s cornea, and replacing this tissue with corneal tissue from a human donor. The donor tissue is carefully screened to prevent transmission of disease to the recipient. The new donor cornea is stitched into position using very thin nylon thread. These sutures are barely visible and do not cause pain, although it is normal for the eye to feel scratchy or irritated for the first f
