A corneal transplant is done to replace damaged part of the cornea with corneal tissue from a donor. The light enters your eye through the cornea which is mainly responsible for ensuring your eye’s ability to see clearly. If the cornea is not healthy, your vision will be affected.
As one of the leading eye hospitals in Kolkata, we share with you FAQs on corneal transplant and their answers that you will find helpful:
- Can you replace your cornea? Yes, the damaged cornea is replaced with healthy donor tissue. One of the most common reasons for a cornea transplant is keratoconus, which causes the cornea to change shape.
- How long does it take for a cornea transplant to heal? Most people who receive a cornea transplant will have their vision at least partially restored. However, for the vision to completely restore, it may take some time. Immediately after the transplant, vision may be blurry for a period of time. To see as clearly as possible, it may take a few months. Your eye surgeon will give you eye drops to ensure that your eye heals properly and the body doesn’t reject the donor tissue.
- How do you know if you need a corneal transplant? An eye surgeon is the best person to tell whether you need a corneal transplant or not. Corneal ulcers, Fuchs’ dystrophy, Keratoconus and Keratitis are some eye conditions that can damage the cornea and impair your ability to see. A corneal transplant is also needed in case of infections and accidents causing permanent damage to the cornea.
- What can I expect after a corneal transplant? Once your cornea transplant is completed, the eye surgeon will give you the list of dos and don’ts. You will be given eye drops and oral medications to keep infection, swelling and pain at bay. You will be asked to wear an eye shield for a few days to a few weeks. It will take you a few days to slowly resume normal activities. You shouldn’t rub the operated eye. Be regular with follow-up exams so that your doctor can properly examine the eye, monitor the progress and look for complications.
- How painful is a corneal transplant? On the day of the transplant, you’ll be given eye drops to help you relax and a local anaesthetic to numb your eye. You shouldn’t feel any pain during the surgery. You will feel slight pain once the effects of local anaesthesia are over, your eye surgeon may prescribe you pain relievers for that.
- How much does a corneal transplant cost? The corneal transplant is a complex procedure and needs experts. The cost of a corneal transplant depends upon the severity of the condition, experts involved and other variables. If you are looking for an eye hospital in Kolkata for corneal transplant or any other eye-related problems, visit Disha Eye Hospital. We deal with several corneal eye problems. We have expert eye surgeons who have been dealing with cornea-related problems for years. The branches where corneal transplantation is done are: Barrackpore, Sheoraphuli, Mourigram, Siliguri and Berhampore.