Corneal transplants: full thickness and partial thickness (DALK, DSAEK, DSEK, PDEK, DMEK) Tectonic grafts

All types of corneal transplants (partial thickness or full thickness) to treat scars, keratoconus, and water logging of the cornea (endothelial dystrophy).

The cornea can be affected in a number of ways which prevent passage of light and proper focus of light in the eye. Often the only treatment is a cornea transplant. A circular disc of the patients affected cornea is cut out and replaced with a clear healthy disc taken form a donor cornea provided by the Eye Bank. Depending on which layer of the cornea is affected, a selective transplant of that layer is done. The procedures are called Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) for the front layers; Endothelial keratoplasty (Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty DSEK/DSAEK; or Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty DMEK; or Pre-Descemet’s endothelial keratoplasty PDEK) for the important back layer. At times, a disc of all the layers of the cornea has to be removed and replaced in a full thickness graft also called penetrating keratoplasty (PK). All these are done to improve sight.

When the cornea is severely affected by disease or infection, a corneal transplant is required to remove the affected cornea to save the eye structure and preserve the globe till the eye settles before a sight restoring transplant is done. This is called a tectonic graft.