Once you and your doctor have decided that a corneal transplant is the best option to restore your functional vision, your name is placed on a list at a local eye bank. The waiting period for a donor eye in South Africa is unfortunately very long – up to two years. However, a few local opthalmologists source the corneas from various international eye banks, which means that provided there is stock, you can receive your cornea within a week!!
Before donor corneas are released for transplant, the tissue is checked for clarity. Also, donor eyes supplying transplant tissue are meticulously screened for presence of diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS or other damage to ensure the health and safety of the recipient.
Typically, corneal transplants are performed on an outpatient basis, meaning that you will not need hospitalization. You are treated as a day patient, meaning that you are booked in, have the surgery and return home the same day (unless there are unforeseen complications).
Depending on the type of surgery that you will require and the method employed, local or general anaesthesia is used. When having the procedure done with the femtosecond laser – the cornea is cut without any anaesthesia. No muscle relaxants or pain medication is provided – instead eye drops are used to numb the eye itself. Should you elect to have a ‘conventional’ cornea transplant, the cornea is cut whilst you are under general anaesthetic
When the donor cornea is swapped for the diseased/injured cornea, the patient is under general anaesthesia. After the anaesthetic has taken effect, the eyelids are held open with a special instrument (lid speculum). Your eye surgeon inspects and measures the affected corneal area in order to determine the size of donor tissue needed.
A round, button-shaped section of tissue is then removed from your diseased or injured cornea. A nearly identical-shaped button from the donor tissue is then sutured into place (this is done a lot more precisely with the use of the laser). Finally, the surgeon will place a plastic shield over your eye to protect it from being inadvertently rubbed or bumped. The surgery takes one to two hours.
Graft Rejection
Most corneal transplants are successful. Nevertheless, recognizing the warning signs of problems is the best way to prevent corneal transplant rejection.
•Pain
•Redness
•Extreme sensitivity to light
•Decreased vision
