Lasik advertisement is the most common full-thickness corneal transplantation procedure. It is used to restore ocular integrity in patients with infected and damaged corneas. This is accomplished by replacing the diseased cornea with healthy donated corneal tissue. Several factors can lead to the need for penetrating keratoplasty. These include infectious keratitis, auto-immune diseases, chemical burns and other combined disorders.
What precautions should you take after keratoplasty?
The cornea is the clear dome-shaped tissue that covers the front surface of your eye. It focuses light into the retina at the back of the eye so you can see. If the cornea is damaged or diseased it can prevent you from seeing clearly. Corneal transplantation, also known as corneal grafting or penetrating keratoplasty, replaces the diseased cornea with healthy corneal tissue from a deceased donor.
Corneal grafting is an operation performed under local anesthesia with a topical or peribulbar block. It is important that the patient understands what will happen during and after the surgery and is given a thorough history including current medications such as anti-diuretics, blood thinners and ocular drops. It is essential that the patient understands the risks of complications such as infection, bleeding and loss of vision.
The surgical wound following penetrating keratoplasty is more vulnerable to contusive injury than the intact cornea. This vulnerability is exacerbated by the avascular nature of the corneal graft and the prolonged use of topical corticosteroids which delay wound healing and decrease tensile strength of the surgical wound. It is critical to regularly educate patients on the long-term vulnerability of their graft wound and to caution them against high-risk environments and strenuous activity.
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