Corneal Transplants

If you view the iris or pupil of an eye, you are looking through the cornea. The cornea is approximately 0.5 mm thick and represents the clear membrane in the front of the eye. If you wear contact lenses, they rest on the cornea. Although the cornea has structural properties for the front of the eye, it is also responsible for 65% of the focusing power of the eye. As such, abnormalities in the cornea can significantly affect vision.

When corneal disease causes poor vision, one option is corneal transplantation. Approximately 40,000 corneal transplantation are performed each year in the United States. While a variety of corneal abnormalities lead to transplantation, the more common ones are

• Bullous keratopathy (edema) following cataract surgery

• Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy

• Keratoconus

• Scarring after infections such as Herpes simplex keratitis

• Scarring after an injury

• Repeat transplantation following transplant rejection

Of all organ transplants performed in the United States, none are more successful than corneal transplantation. Chances of a successful corneal transplantation in non-high risk cases approaches 95%. Island Eye is a Licensed Tissue Transplantation Facility and among the busiest transplantation centers on Long Island.