Corneal Transplant in New York
The cornea is the transparent front wall of the eye. A variety of conditions can affect the clarity of the cornea. Drs. Mandelbaum is specialists in treating diseases of the cornea, and they offer both medical and surgical treatment options for:
- Corneal dystrophies, including Fuchs’ corneal dystrophy and anterior basement membrane dystrophies
- Keratoconus
- Corneal edema (swelling)
- Corneal scars
- Contact lens complications
- Corneal infection
- Corneal degeneration
In cases where the cornea is no longer functioning properly, even with optimum medical therapy for conditions such as advanced keratoconus, corneal swelling or corneal scarring, a corneal transplant may be required for visual rehabilitation.
In a standard corneal transplant, we remove a full thickness disc of the central cornea in the operating room using microsurgical instruments. We replace this disc with a similarly sized graft of donor tissue from an eye bank. Microscopic sutures hold the graft in position as healing occurs, typically over many months to years.
This outpatient procedure takes about an hour. There is mild discomfort after the surgery, and people often return to work within a week. The slow healing process is quite slow, however; vision usually takes many months to improve. Glasses or contact lenses are almost always needed to achieve the best vision after the procedure. Frequent changes in prescription are required as the shape of the cornea changes with healing.
Discover an experienced corneal specialist by calling 212-650-0400 or using our convenient Request an Appointment form. Patients come to us from Scarsdale, Chappaqua and Manhattan, New York, Newark, New Jersey, Greenwich, Connecticut and surrounding areas.
