A corneal transplant replaces all or part of a diseased cornea, the clear window at the front of the eye, with tissue from a deceased donor supplied through an eye bank. Modern surgery replaces only the damaged layer where possible.
It can restore sight lost to scarring, advanced keratoconus or failure of the inner cell layer. Visual recovery is slow, glasses or contact lenses are often still needed, and the graft can be rejected at any time in life.
What Corneal Transplant (Keratoplasty) involves
In a full-thickness graft (penetrating keratoplasty) the surgeon removes a central disc of about 7.5 to 8.5 mm with a circular blade or femtosecond laser and sews a matching donor disc in place with 16 or more fine nylon stitches. In DALK the front layers are replaced but your own inner layer is kept, using an air bubble to separate the layers. In DMEK or DSAEK, for endothelial failure, the diseased inner membrane is peeled off through a small incision, a thin donor layer is inserted rolled up, unfolded and pressed into position with an air or gas bubble. No tissue matching is required for most grafts.
Who is a good candidate for Corneal Transplant (Keratoplasty)?
The choice of graft depends on which layer of your cornea is diseased.
- Fuchs endothelial dystrophy or corneal swelling after cataract surgery (DMEK or DSAEK)
- Advanced keratoconus that lenses can no longer correct (DALK)
- Central corneal scars from infection or injury
- Inherited stromal dystrophies
- A failed previous graft
It is usually not the right choice if:
- Eyes with poor vision potential from retinal or optic nerve disease
- Active infection or inflammation, unless the graft is an emergency
- Severe dry eye or surface disease that would destroy a graft, until it is treated
- People unable to use drops and attend follow-up for at least a year
الخيارات التقنية
- DMEK: Replaces only the 15 micron inner membrane. Fastest recovery and lowest rejection rate; technically demanding.
- DSAEK: A slightly thicker inner-layer graft, used in more complex eyes.
- DALK: Front layers only, for keratoconus and scars with a healthy inner layer. Avoids endothelial rejection.
- Penetrating keratoplasty: Full thickness, for disease affecting all layers.
- Keratoprosthesis: An artificial cornea, kept for eyes in which donor grafts have failed repeatedly.
ماذا يحدث خلال علاجك
Surgery takes 45 to 90 minutes under local anaesthetic with sedation, or general anaesthetic. After DMEK or DSAEK you must lie flat on your back, facing the ceiling, for much of the first 1 to 3 days so that the bubble holds the graft in place.
الإعداد لرحلتك
Plan for 10 to 14 days in Istanbul. Your surgeon reviews photographs and your medical history before you book, and you meet in person the day before surgery for examination, marking and consent with a professional interpreter.
- Stop smoking and nicotine at least four weeks before and after surgery; it is the single biggest avoidable cause of wound problems
- Tell the team about every medicine and supplement you take; blood thinners, some herbal products and hormone treatment may need to be paused on your doctor's advice
- Arrange for someone to travel with you or to be reachable, and keep the first days at home free of work and lifting
- Book a changeable return flight; your surgeon confirms when you are fit to fly
التعافي والنتائج
After DMEK, useful vision returns in 2 to 8 weeks. After DALK or a full-thickness graft, vision fluctuates for months, stitches are removed gradually over 12 to 18 months, and the final spectacle or lens prescription comes after that. Steroid drops continue for at least a year, often lifelong at a low dose. Avoid rubbing the eye, contact sports and swimming in the early months.
- Back to everyday activity: 2 to 4 weeks; longer for manual work
- When results show: Weeks after DMEK; 6 to 18 months after PK or DALK
- How long they last: Often 10 to 20 years or more; lifelong monitoring
سياسة السلامة والمخاطر والتنقيح
Graft surgery has good success rates in low-risk eyes, but it carries lifelong risks.
- Graft rejection: redness, light sensitivity, blurred vision or pain need same-day review
- Graft detachment after DMEK, needing a repeat air bubble in roughly 10 to 20 in 100 eyes
- Raised eye pressure or glaucoma from steroid drops
- High astigmatism after sutured grafts
- Infection, including at loose stitches
- Graft failure over time, requiring a repeat transplant
- A weaker eye wall after full-thickness grafts, vulnerable to injury
Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.
Cost of Corneal Transplant (Keratoplasty) in Türkiye
Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for Corneal Transplant (Keratoplasty), because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:
- Type of graft and donor tissue processing fees
- Whether tissue is sourced locally or imported from an overseas eye bank
- Combined cataract surgery
- Length of stay and number of early follow-up visits
Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
الأسئلة المتكررة
How long is the wait for donor tissue?
It depends on local eye bank supply. Imported pre-tested tissue can often be scheduled for a fixed date. Ask where the tissue comes from and how it is screened.
Can I fly home with an air bubble in my eye?
No. You must not fly until the surgeon confirms the air or gas has gone, because it expands at altitude. Air usually clears in a few days; gas takes longer.
Who will look after the graft at home?
You need a corneal specialist near you before you travel. Rejection is treatable if caught within days, so local access matters more than anything else.
Do I need anti-rejection tablets?
Usually not. Steroid eye drops are sufficient for most low-risk grafts.