Corneal Transplant FAQs

Corneal Transplant Surgery-FAQs
Courtesy of Trusted LASIK Surgeons™

Approximately 44,000 corneal transplants occur every year, and our team at Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ is dedicated to helping anyone who may be in need of this vision-saving procedure to understand not only what it is, but who in their area can perform it. 

What is a Corneal Transplant?

The cornea is the clear dome-like window over the colored part of your eye. Its primary job is to help bend light as it enters your eye so that you can see clearly. A Corneal Transplant (aka keratoplasty) is a type of eye operation in which part or all of your cornea is replaced with the healthy cornea of a matched organ donor. 

What Can Corneal Transplants Help?

If your cornea has been damaged or impaired in some way, you may need a corneal transplant so that you can get better vision. Common conditions which can benefit from corneal transplant include: 

  • Corneal wounds or scarring secondary to an injury, infection, or past eye operation
  • Keratoconus, which causes your cornea to bulge abnormally 
  • Thinning, swelling, and clouding of the cornea
  • Other inherited disorders that impact corneal integrity, including Fuchs' corneal dystrophy 

What Should I Expect During a Corneal Transplant? 

First, your surgeon will meet with you to thoroughly review your medical history and run any necessary pre-operative tests and measures. You may also be prescribed antibiotic eye drops to use in the days leading up to surgery to reduce your risk for infection. 

On the day of the operation, you'll be given a local anesthetic, so you'll be awake but won't feel anything during the procedure, which generally takes about 30 to 60 minutes. Your surgeon will use a microscope as he or she removes your injured cornea (with or without laser-assisted equipment) and replaces it with the healthy one, suturing it in place. 

These are usually done in same-day outpatient settings (you'll just need someone to drive you!). You'll leave with specific instructions on how to care for yourself following the procedure and signs and symptoms of rare complications to look out for.

How Soon Can I See Results After my Corneal Transplant?

Corneal Transplant Surgery performed with laser technology tend to offer faster results, with improved uncorrected vision within about 2 to 3 weeks. Once all sutures are removed at around 6 to 7 months, most patients experience around 20/40 vision or better. Non-laser approaches take a little longer to heal. 

Contact Your Trusted LASIK Surgeon for an Appointment

Please visit our Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ Directory or our Trusted Cataract Surgeons™ Directory to find a surgeon closest to you and see if they perform corneal transplant surgery.  Most LASIK surgeons do not offer corneal transplant surgery so if the surgeon closest to you in our directory does not offer this procedure, please contact us or call that surgeon for a referral to an expert corneal transplant surgeon. 

Trusted Lasik Surgeons™ is here to provide you with access to some of the finest LASIK, cataract and corneal transplant surgery experts in the United States.  All of the surgeons profiled in our directory are professionaly recognized for their accomplishments and expertise and have also demonstrated a commitment to improving vision for their patients so they can provide you with an optimal experience and a successful outcome.

Even if we don’t list a surgeon in your local area, please contact us and we will do our best to put you in touch with a corneal transplant surgeon with proven expertise that you can trust with confidence.  

The screening process and standards used by Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ can be found at:

How Are LASIK Surgeons Qualified at Trusted LASIK Surgeons™?


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