Indications and Types of Keratoplasty

Keratoplasty, commonly known as corneal transplantation, is a surgical procedure used to replace a damaged or diseased cornea with a healthy donor cornea.

Indications for Keratoplasty

• Corneal Scarring: Due to injury, infection, or previous surgery.
• Keratoconus: Progressive thinning and bulging of the cornea.
• Fuchs' Dystrophy: Endothelial cell failure leading to corneal edema.
• Corneal Ulcers: Severe infections that cause irreversible corneal damage.

Types of Keratoplasty

• Penetrating Keratoplasty (PK): Full-thickness corneal transplant.
• Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (ALK): Replaces only the anterior corneal layers.
• Descemet's Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK): Partial-thickness transplant replacing only the endothelium.
• Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK): Ultra-thin endothelial layer replacement.

Postoperative Care and Complications

Postoperative Care

After keratoplasty, proper care is essential to ensure optimal healing:

• Use prescribed eye drops to prevent infection and inflammation.
• Avoid strenuous activities and protect the eye from trauma.
• Attend regular follow-up appointments for monitoring.

Complications

• Graft rejection – immune response against the donor tissue.
• Increased intraocular pressure – leading to secondary glaucoma.
• Astigmatism – due to irregular healing and corneal curvature changes.

Despite potential complications, keratoplasty can significantly restore vision and improve quality of life for patients with severe corneal damage.