Keratoplasty /Cornea Transplant Surgery in Coimbatore

There are many different types of corneal transplant surgeries, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Some of the more common types of corneal transplants include: penetrating keratoplasty (PK), Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK/ DSAEK), Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK), deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK), superficial anterior lamellar keratoplasty (SALK), and artificial cornea transplant (Keratoprosthesis).

PK is a surgical procedure in which the surgeons make a small incision in the patient’s eye and use a special knife to penetrate the surface of the eye underlying the lens. This allows them to remove the damaged lens and replace it with an artificial one. PK is excellent for patients who have lost their original lens due to cataracts or other causes and who need a quick replacement. However, PK has several drawbacks. First, it is not always effective at restoring vision; second, it is not always suitable for patients with complex medical conditions or those who have large lenses; and third, it can be quite expensive.

DSEK/ DSAEK is another type of surgery that is often used to treat cataracts. In this procedure, the surgeons make a small incision in the patient’s eye and use a special vacuum device to remove the damaged innermost layer of the cornea (Descemet’s membrane). They then replace this layer with a healthy one from a donor. DSEK/ DSAEK is less invasive than PK, and it has a shorter recovery time. However, it is not always as effective at restoring vision as PK, and it can be quite expensive.

DMEK is a newer type of surgery that is similar to DSEK/ DSAEK, but it involves only the replacement of Descemet’s membrane (and not the innermost layer of the cornea). This makes DMEK less invasive than DSEK/ DSAEK, and it also has a shorter recovery time. However, DMEK is not always as effective at restoring vision as PK or DSEK/ DSAEK, and it can be quite expensive.

Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) is a surgical procedure in which the surgeons make a small incision in the patient’s eye and use a special knife to carefully remove the innermost layer of the cornea (Descemet’s membrane). They then replace this layer with a healthy one from a donor. DALK is less invasive than PK, and it has a shorter recovery time. However, DALK is not always as effective at restoring vision as PK, and it can be quite expensive.

Superficial anterior lamellar keratoplasty (SALK) is a surgical procedure in which the surgeons make a small incision in the patient’s eye and use a special knife to carefully remove the outermost layer of the cornea (the epithelium). They then replace this layer with a healthy one from a donor. SALK is less invasive than PK, and it has a shorter recovery time. However, SALK is not always as effective at restoring vision as PK, and it can be quite expensive.

Keratoprosthesis (KPro) is an artificial cornea that is surgically implanted in the eye. A keratoprosthesis is an option for patients who are not candidates for PK, DSEK/ DSAEK, DMEK, DALK, or SALK. Keratoprosthesis is usually only used as a last resort because it has a high risk of complications and it can be quite expensive.