Corneal Surgery

Corneal Transplants
Cornea Transplants Atlanta

If you have been recently diagnosed with a diseased or damaged cornea, or have severe keratoconus you can get a better understanding of your medical condition from the text that follows. If you are seeking a cornea transplant in Georgia, the doctors at Marietta Eye Clinic can help put you on the road to better vision.

Understanding the cornea

The cornea represents the very front surface of the eye or the outer surface of the eye. The cornea plays a major role in how you focus on images. In conjunction with your natural crystalline lens the cornea helps to provide required focusing power. If the cornea becomes weak or damaged serious problems may arise. Because the cornea is such an important part of your visual system please make sure to contact a qualified ophthalmologist if you think you might have damaged your cornea. It is not uncommon for our office to see and treat damaged corneas. Treating the cornea with medication is typically the first thing that the doctors will try. If your vision cannot be accurately corrected with medications, eyeglasses or contact lenses a corneal transplant may be required

What is a corneal transplant?

A corneal transplant is used when vision is lost because the cornea has been damaged by disease or traumatic injury, and there are no other viable options. During the cornea transplant (also commonly referred to as keratoplasty), a patient’s diseased or damaged cornea tissue is actually surgically replaced with the cornea from a human eye of a recently deceased person. The corneas used in these surgeries will come from eye banks that store and collect corneas for this very purpose. Cornea Transplant surgery is painless due to the administration of a local anesthetic at the beginning of the procedure. Some patients may be given general anesthesia, particularly if their overall medical condition is in question. During the corneal transplant surgery, the diseased or damaged cornea is carefully removed from the eye. The new donor cornea is then sewn into place. Most pain medicine should be able to control any residual pain during the recovery period. Recovering from a corneal transplant may take some time.

The stitches will remain in the eye for six to twelve months after the surgery.  Eye drops will have to be used while the stitches are in place to assure proper healing and low doses of steroid eye drops are often prescribed on a permanent basis to prevent rejection.

Keratoconus
What is Keratoconus?

Keratoconus (KEHR-uh-toh-KOH-nus) is a very rare eye condition in which the normally round, dome-like cornea (the clear front window of the eye) becomes thin and develops a cone-like bulge. Keratoconus literally means “cone-shaped cornea.” Keratoconus is often specifically treated by a group of ophthalmologists known as corneal specialists whom have done a fellowiship studying the cornea and cornea diseases.

The cornea is a very important part of your eye. As light enters the eye, it refracts, or focuses, the light rays so that you can see clearly. With keratoconus, the shape of the cornea is altered, distorting your vision. Keratoconus can make some activities difficult, such as driving, typing on a computer, watching television or reading.

Symptoms of keratoconus?

Keratoconus usually affects both eyes, however; symptoms in each eye may differ. Surprisingly, this is not an eye condition that affects only the elderly. Symptoms usually start to occur in people who are in their late teens and early twenties and may include:

• Mild blurring of vision
• Distortion of vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Glare
• Slight irritation.

The rate of keratoconus progression varies. It will often progress slowly for 10 to 20 years and then suddenly stop.

The cause of keratoconus is still not known. Some researchers believe that genetics play a role, since an estimated 10% of people with keratoconus also have a family member with the condition.

How is keratoconus treated?

Treatment will often depend on the severity of the condition. During early stages, vision can be corrected with eyeglasses. As the condition progresses, rigid contacts may need to be worn so that light entering the eye is refracted evenly and vision is not distorted. You should also refrain from rubbing your eyes, as this can aggravate the thin corneal tissue and make symptoms worse.

When good vision is no longer possible with contact lenses, a corneal transplant is recommended. This surgery is only necessary in about 10-20% of patients with keratoconus. In a corneal transplant, a cornea specialist removes the diseased cornea from your eye and replaces it with a healthy donor cornea.

While a corneal transplant will relieve the symptoms of keratoconus, it may not provide you with flawless vision; eyeglasses or contacts may still be needed to achieve your best vision.

Meet our Corneal Surgeons: "Steven Corwin, MD and Andre Cohen, MD"