Cornea Grafting Surgery | Causes, Procedure & Treatment

LASIK at DRR Hospital ?

DRR Eye Care and Oculoplasty Hospital is a leading provider of Laser Vision Correction/LASIK in Chennai since over a decade. We use the Bausch & Lomb Zyoptix Z100 with DUAL BEAM LASER DELIVERY, IRIS PATTERN RECOGNITION and a CUSTOM LASIK platform .The human cornea also has optical aberrations which varies from person to person, eye to eye. Customized Laser Correction provides an unique treatment protocol to correct individual eyes.Corneal flaps can be created either with a microkeratome, which is a BLADE to create the corneal flap or with INTRALASE (FEMTOSECOND LASER) which creates a corneal flap without using a blade.

What is corneal grafting ?

Cornea is the outer layer of the eye which helps focus and transmit light through the lens onto the retina. When the cornea is damaged beyond repair transplanting a donated cornea becomes a necessity. The cornea harvested after the donor's death is screened for infectious diseases before grating.

Types of corneal grafts

Partial thickness or Lamella grafts are used to treat conditions of the cornea where the damage is mostly restricted to the front surface or back surface of the cornea and only the damaged part of the cornea is replaced. Full thickness or penetrating grafts are more commonly used and result in the whole of the cornea being replaced.

The procedure

The fine stitches will stay in place for up to 2 years and it will take at least a year to heal completely. The eye is covered with an eye pad and protective plastic eye shield post surgery. This is removed a day after the surgery and normal activities can be resumed as soon as possible. It is a day care procedure.

Post Operation

• Eyesight is blurred immediately after surgery.
• Eye may water and be sensitive to light.
• Sight will fluctuate due to the healing process.
• Cornea shape may change and necessitate glasses after a few months.
• There is absolutely no change in the physical appearance of the eye.

Do's and and Dont's after the operation

• Do not rub or touch the eye.
• Apply prescribed medication strictly according to schedule.
• Avoid smoky and dusty rooms, which can cause irritation.
• Wear sunglasses if the eye is light sensitive.
• Do not play contact sports and swimming in particular. Ask the doctor if you are unclear which sports you should avoid.
• You will need at least 2-4 weeks off work, but again this will be discussed with you on an individual basis.
• Avoid driving until the doctor tells you otherwise.
• Return to the hospital immediately if you have :
  • Increased pain.
  • Increased redness.
  • Increased watering or discharge.
  • Further reduction in the vision.
• Stick to your follow up appointments .