Corneal transplants
At AOA体育平台 Eye Centre, our team of world-class eye specialists is dedicated to providing the highest standards of care for patients requiring a corneal transplant. With our advanced diagnostic tools and cutting-edge therapies, we deliver a best-in-class service designed to achieve the best possible outcomes.
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What is it for?
Treating a damaged cornea by transplanting donor corneal tissue
What does a corneal transplant treat?
Your eye care provider may suggest a corneal transplant if you have:
- Fuchs鈥� dystrophy 鈥� a genetic condition that can cause fluid to build up in the cornea
- Keratoconus 鈥� a cornea that bulges outward
- Corneal ulcer 鈥� an open wound on your cornea resulting from an eye infection
- Corneal scarring 鈥� caused by an infection or injury
- Corneal damage 鈥� due to a previous eye surgery
- Bullous keratopathy 鈥� a swelling of the cornea that looks like a blister
Do I need a corneal transplant?
Your doctor may recommend a corneal transplant if your cornea is damaged to a point where your vision is severely affected, and this cannot be improved by glasses or contact lenses.
Alternatively, a corneal transplant may be recommended if you鈥檙e experiencing pain and discomfort that isn鈥檛 responding to treatment and is impacting your quality of life.
* We offer fast appointments Monday - Friday only.
Preparing for Your Corneal Transplant
Your surgeon will review any medications or supplements you are taking and advise if any need to be stopped before your procedure. Additionally, you may be instructed to avoid eating or drinking for about 12 hours prior to surgery. Your surgeon will provide specific guidelines to ensure you鈥檙e fully prepared.
During Corneal Transplant Surgery
A corneal transplant can be done under local anaesthesia, where you鈥檒l be awake but the area will be numbed, or under general anaesthesia, where you鈥檒l be asleep. During the procedure, your surgeon will place a device to keep your eye open and will perform the transplant according to your specific needs. For patients with Fuchs鈥� dystrophy, endothelial keratoplasty may be used to replace the back layer of the cornea. For those with keratoconus or scarring in the upper corneal layers, anterior lamellar keratoplasty replaces the outer layer. If all layers of the cornea are affected, penetrating keratoplasty may be recommended to replace the entire cornea. The surgery typically takes less than two hours to complete.
Recovery and Aftercare
After surgery, your ophthalmologist will place a patch over your eye. Once you鈥檝e recovered from anaesthesia, you鈥檒l be able to go home. You鈥檒l receive eye drops and medications to prevent infection, reduce inflammation, and manage pain. Strenuous activities should be avoided during recovery, and you鈥檒l attend follow-up appointments for progress checks and stitch removal. You may return to work in a few days if it is a sedentary job, but full vision may take 3-12 months to restore. Arrange transportation for the day of surgery and follow-up appointments, as you won鈥檛 be able to drive immediately.
What's included in your package?
Choosing AOA体育平台 Eye Centre means your treatment plan will be laid out for you, with all the details taken care of so that you can focus on you.
Your treatment package will include:
- your pre-admission assessment
- your treatment, with our care team at your fingertips
- personalised aftercare and follow-up
We want you to be in control of your health. That is why we also offer optional services, such as comprehensive recovery packages and extra touches for you to choose from during your stay with us.
Get in touch
You can use private medical insurance (PMI) to access this treatment. We work with all major PMI providers in the UK and many internationally.
Alternatively, you can pay for yourself (self-pay). If you are paying for yourself, we have finance options available with .
Find out more about paying for your treatment here.
To book an appointment, call us today on: 0203 553 3670
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
To diagnose you with one of the above conditions and assess whether vitreoretinal surgery may be best placed to help you recover, your consultant may perform:
- A comprehensive eye exam 鈥� this may involve putting eyedrops in your eye to dilate (widen) your pupils so that your doctor can see your retina more clearly.
- Visual acuity tests 鈥� using an eye chart to assess the clarity of your vision.
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) 鈥� using a laser to produce a detailed cross-sectional map of your retina.
- Fundus imaging 鈥� a type of imaging designed to take wide-angle images of your retina.
- Eye (ocular) ultrasound 鈥� to create an image of the inside of your eye, an ultrasound technician may place an instrument against your closed eye.
- Computed tomography (CT) scan 鈥� to create a picture of the structure of your eye. This is usually used if you have a history of an eye injury or trauma.
Your ophthalmologist will give you all the information you need about how to prepare for your surgery.
They may ask you to stop taking certain medications ahead of your surgery and will give you instructions as to what you can eat or drink beforehand.
You may need to stop taking certain medications or supplements before your cornea transplant. Your surgeon will do a review of all the medications and supplements you're taking and let you know which ones, if any, you need to stop taking.
You may also be advised to stop eating and drinking around 12 hours before your surgery, though your surgeon will give you all the information you need about exactly how to prepare for your procedure.
A corneal transplant can be performed under a local anaesthetic, where you鈥檒l be awake but the area will be numbed. If you choose to have a local anaesthetic, you may also be given a sedative to help you relax. Alternatively, it can be performed under a general anaesthetic, where you鈥檒l be unconscious.
Your surgeon will put a device in your eye to keep it open. They will then carry out the transplant in one of three ways, depending on your specific need:
- Endothelial keratoplasty 鈥� most commonly used in patients with Fuchs鈥� dystrophy, this method replaces the back layer of the cornea with the healthy back layer of a donor cornea.
- Anterior lamellar keratoplasty 鈥� mostly used in patients with keratoconus and scarring of the upper layers of the cornea, this method replaces the top layer of the cornea with the healthy outer layer of a donor cornea.
- Penetrating keratoplasty 鈥� if all the layers of the cornea are diseased or injured, your surgeon may choose to replace the entire cornea with a healthy donor cornea.
Whichever type of corneal transplant you have, the surgery typically takes less than two hours to perform.
At the end of the procedure, your ophthalmologist will tape a patch over your eye to keep it covered. Once you鈥檝e recovered from the anaesthesia, you will be able to go home. You鈥檒l need to return to the clinic for follow-up appointments and may need to have your stitches removed in the future.
You will be sent home with eye drops and certain medications to help reduce the risk of infection, inflammation, and rejection, as well as to manage pain. You will also be advised to avoid strenuous activity during your recovery.
How long does it take to recover from a corneal transplant?
The length of time it takes to recover from a corneal transplant depends on the technique used during the procedure and your risk of rejecting the donor tissue.
Overall, you may be able to return to work within a few days if your job is sedentary. If your job involves strenuous activity, you should take more time off work. However, full vision recovery may take between three and 12 months.
How soon can I drive after a corneal transplant?
You should arrange for someone to drive you home after the procedure as you won鈥檛 be able to drive on the day of your corneal transplant. You will also need someone to drive you to your follow-up visit.
You should wait a few days before driving yourself after surgery, though the exact timeframe depends on your vision quality in your non-transplant eye.
Overall, a corneal transplant is a relatively safe procedure. However, there is a risk that your body may reject the donor cornea. If rejection occurs, it means that your immune system has identified the cornea as foreign and is trying to fight it off.
Certain conditions make this more likely, such as severe dry eye, blood vessels growing in your cornea, or an eye infection. If this is the case, your surgeon may advise against a corneal transplant or will discuss the risks and benefits with you.
Other complications of corneal transplant surgery include:
- An infection in your cornea or eye
- Bleeding
- Glaucoma (a build-up of pressure inside your eye)
- Fluid leaking from your cornea
- Retinal detachment or swelling
- Problems with your visual acuity (the sharpness of your vision)
- Corneal transplant detachment
Your surgeon will discuss any possible risks with you before your procedure.
You can use private medical insurance (PMI) to access this treatment. We work with all major PMI providers in the UK and many internationally.
Alternatively, you can pay for yourself (self-pay). If you are paying for yourself, we have finance options available with .
Find out more about paying for your treatment here.
To book an appointment, call us today on: 0203 553 3670