Corneal transplants

The cornea is the clear surface on the front of the eye. A corneal transplant is surgery to replace the cornea with tissue from a donor.

Corneal transplantation is recommended for people who have:

• Vision problems caused by thinning of the cornea. This is called keratoconus.
• Scarring of the cornea from severe infections or injuries.
• Vision loss caused by cloudiness of the cornea. This is called corneal oedema.

The tissue for your corneal transplant will come from a person who has died recently who agreed to donate their tissue.

The most common type of corneal transplant is called “penetrating keratoplasty.” During this procedure, your surgeon will remove a small round piece of your cornea. Then your surgeon will sew the donated cornea onto the opening of your eye. Your doctor will remove the stitches at a follow-up visit.