Cornea Transplant (Keratoplasty)

A cornea transplant, known medically as keratoplasty, replaces a cornea that has lost its transparency or shape with healthy donor tissue, so that clear vision can return. The cornea is the clear front window of the eye, and when it becomes cloudy, scarred or distorted, glasses and contact lenses can no longer correct the sight. Because the cornea has no blood vessels, this is the most successful of all transplants and rejection is uncommon. Many patients travel abroad for the operation to reach experienced corneal surgeons, modern partial-layer techniques and well-organised eye banks, and to combine treatment with a calm recovery away from daily pressures.