| The following are common disease processes that
may benefit from a cornea transplant:
- Keratoconus
- Fuchs' Endothelial Dystrophy
- Corneal scarring due to trauma or infection
- Congenital corneal opacities
- Chemical burns of the eye
Only after proper evaluation, can we determine whether or not
a cornea transplant is appropriate for you.
What to Expect On the Day of Surgery
Prior to surgery, you will have a complete physicial exam and
appropriate pre-operative testing. On the day of surgery, you
will report to outpatient surgery as instructed to be checked-in
and prepared. Dr. Goldsberry will greet you in the holding area outside
the operating room prior to the procedure. Once in the operating
room, you will be given medicine to make you relax, and in most
cases, placed under general anesthesia. Following this, your eyelids
will be washed with a soap solution and you will be completely
covered with surgical drapes.
The surgery itself is performed under a microscope. A circular
"button" is cut from the donor cornea. A trephine is
then used to make a similar incision into your cornea. The diseased
cornea is then removed and the donor cornea sewn into place using
very small suture (smaller than a human hair). In most cases,
a series of simple "interrupted" loops are placed to
secure the cornea. Then, a single "running" suture is
placed which encircles then entire graft. At the conclusion of
the surgery, a bandage contact lens is placed over the graft to
protect it, and a series of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory injections
are given around the eye. A patch and shield is then placed over
the eye. You will then be awoken in the room and taken to the
recovery room. In most cases, you will go home the same day.
What to Expect After Surgery
We will see you back the next day, remove the patch and start
a series of eyedrops. Cornea transplants take some time to heal,
usually up to 6-12 months before vision stabilizes. As your cornea
heals, Dr. Goldsberry will remove sutures as needed; however, it is
common practice to leave some of the sutures in place for 1-2
years afterwards. While some patients may only require glasses
following surgery, most patients will need to wear hard contact
lenses to obtain best possible vision.
Dr. Goldsberry is a fellowship-trained cornea transplant
surgeon.
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