Corneal Transplant

A corneal transplant can stop swelling and restore vision for patients with advanced Fuchs dystrophy and pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. At Ophthalmology Associates of Bay Ridge, leading board-certified ophthalmologists Elias Aliprandis, MD, and Irene Rusu, MD, perform corneal transplants using the most advanced approaches. Their offices are located in the Bay Ridge and Sheepshead Bay neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York, so contact the nearest office by phone or book your appointment online today.

What is a corneal transplant?

A corneal transplant is a surgical procedure to remove your cornea — the transparent dome covering your iris and pupil. The corneas let light into your eye, so without healthy corneas, you can develop vision problems or eventually lose your vision. 

A corneal transplant can remove your unhealthy corneas and restore your eyes with healthy and well-functioning ones.

When is a corneal transplant needed? 

Conditions affecting the cornea may require a corneal transplant, such as:

Keratoconus
Keratoconus occurs when corneas thin and bulge out, developing a cone shape, leading to blurry or cloudy vision and light sensitivity. Early keratoconus is treatable with special rigid contact lenses, but advanced cases often require corneal transplants.

Fuchs’ dystrophy
In Fuchs’ dystrophy, the endothelial cells on the back surface of the cornea die, so they’re no longer able to pump fluids out of the corneas and keep them dry. As a result, fluid builds up in the cornea, which can cause blurry or cloudy vision, glare, and eye discomfort. Corneal transplants can eliminate swelling and restore vision. 

Pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (PBK) 
PBK, like Fuchs’ dystrophy, involves fluid buildup in the cornea due to endothelial cell death. In this case, it happens after cataract surgery. Corneal transplants can relieve visual issues and restore eye health. 

I am having a corneal transplant. What can I expect?

The team explains the corneal transplant process in detail so you know what to expect before your procedure. 

The traditional cornea transplant method is penetrating keratoplasty, or full-thickness transplant, which replaces all layers of the cornea. While it can quickly restore the cornea, it may take a year to recover visually. This healing process takes a while because the numerous stitches that hold the cornea in place cause significant astigmatism. 

Ophthalmology Associates of Bay Ridge is proud to be one of the few practices in Brooklyn offering an innovative new corneal transplant technique called Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK or DSEK). 

In DSEK, the back surface of the cornea — the only part transplanted — contains the endothelial cells you need. We can complete the procedure through a small incision in the front of the eye. DSEK can dramatically improve the speed of visual recovery, and this approach also reduces the surgical risks connected to traditional cornea transplants.

Want to learn more? Call Ophthalmology Associates of Bay Ridge or book your consultation online now.

Learn More