Keratoplasty /Cornea Transplant Surgery in Varanasi

There are a variety of types of corneal transplants, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Penetrating keratoplasty (PK), Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK/ DSAEK), Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK), deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK), and superficial anterior lamellar keratoplasty (SALK) are all types of keratoprosthesis procedures. 

PK is a relatively new procedure that uses a surgical blade to make a small hole in the cornea and remove some of the layers below the surface. This leaves a “window” into the underlying tissue where the graft can be placed. DSEK/ DSAEK is also a newer procedure that uses a surgical blade to make a small hole in the cornea, but instead of removing some of the layers below the surface, it removes all of it. This leaves a thin film of tissue over the hole that must be protected by glasses or contact lenses. DMEK is similar to DSEK/ DSAEK, but instead of using a surgical blade, it uses heat and pressure to strip away the layer below the surface. DMEK has two main advantages: it is less invasive than DSEK/ DSAEK and it doesn’t require any surgery on the eye other than the removal of the diseased cornea. 

DALK is a more traditional type of transplant that uses a surgical blade to make a large hole in the cornea and remove the entire layer below the surface. This leaves a thick layer of tissue over the hole that must be protected with glasses or contact lenses. SALK is similar to DALK, but instead of using a surgical blade, it uses heat and pressure to strip away the layer below the surface. SALK has two main advantages: it is less invasive than DALK and it doesn’t require any surgery on the eye other than the removal of the diseased cornea.