How do you prepare for a cornea transplant?

Before scheduling a corneal transplant, you’ll need a thorough eye exam. Your doctor will take exact measurements of your eye and treat any unrelated eye problems that may affect your surgery. Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and any prescription medications and over-the-counter medicines you take.

What is necessary before penetrating keratoplasty?

Before the penetrating keratoplasty procedure begins, a local or general anesthesia is administered. Your eye surgeon will then use a trephine, a circular cutting device, to cut the donor cornea to the exact shape and size that is needed.

Can you see immediately after a cornea transplant?

The time it takes for your vision to return after a cornea transplant can range from as little as a few weeks up to a year or more. This largely depends on the specific procedure used. In some cases, your vision may fluctuate between being better or worse before it settles down.

Are you awake during corneal transplant surgery?

A full thickness corneal transplant is done to remove a diseased, infected, or scarred cornea. It’s replaced with a healthy cornea from a person who has died. The cornea is the clear surface that covers the front of the eye. In most cases, you will be awake during the surgery.

How painful is a corneal transplant?

Are cornea transplants painful? The cornea transplant procedure itself is not painful. Your surgeon will use a local anesthetic to numb your eye and may give you general anesthesia or a sedative if you’re feeling anxious about the transplant.

How long does a cornea transplant take?

The surgery usually takes less than an hour and, depending on your circumstances, you either leave hospital the same day or stay overnight. If surgery involves the transplantation of the outer cornea, the new outer cornea is held in place with stitches, which usually stay in for more than 12 months.

How do you sleep after a corneal transplant?

Your Recovery After your transplant, you may be told to lie on your back at times throughout the first few days. You may also need to sleep on your back. You will also need to wear an eye shield overnight. Then you will need to wear a clear eye shield or glasses to protect your eye until it has healed.

How long are you in hospital for a cornea transplant?

What can you not do after a corneal transplant?

After surgery, it is important not to put any pressure on the eye. It is best not even to touch or rub anywhere near the eye, so the doctor might put a shield over it. Wearing glasses or sunglasses will also help protect the eye. Your doctor will prescribe eye drops to help the eye heal and prevent infection.

Can you feel the stitches after a corneal transplant?

In the first few days, you may feel a foreign body sensation (a scratchy feeling) in the eye from the incision and tiny sutures. Discomfort should go away in one to two weeks. In most cases, stitches are removed only if the doctor feels it is necessary to control healing.

How soon can I drive after a corneal transplant?

You must not drive on the day of your cornea transplant. Someone must drive you home after surgery and bring you back for your follow-up visit. If you have good vision in the non-transplant eye, you can legally drive 24 hours after surgery. However, your surgeon may recommend waiting longer before driving.

What is the recovery like after a cornea transplant?

Recovery. Afterward, you’ll probably wear an eye patch for at least a day, maybe 4, until the top layer of your cornea heals. Your eye will most likely be red and sensitive to light. It might hurt or feel sore for a few days, but some people don’t feel any discomfort.