What conditions may cause the need for a cornea transplant procedure?
Trauma, infections or hereditary diseases can affect the quality of vision and the overall clarity of the cornea. When your cornea is injured or infected by a disease, it may become swollen or scarred. When this happens, the clarity of your cornea may be lost. Scars, swelling or irregular shape can cause the cornea to scatter or distort light which will result in blurred vision. The function of the endothelial cells is to pump fluid out of the cornea which keeps it crystal clear and thin. When many endothelial cells are injured or lost, the fluid that circulates inside the eyeball goes into the cornea, causing it to become cloudy and swollen. Once this occurs, medical treatments usually will not work, and a cornea transplant is recommended. The cornea transplant replaces your damaged cornea with a healthy cornea that has been donated to an eye bank. Once it is decided that surgery is the only option, your ophthalmologist will present you with your options and recommend the best cornea
