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
Es ist normalerweise nicht die richtige Wahl, wenn:
- 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
Technikoptionen
- 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.
Was passiert während Ihrer Behandlung
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.
Vorbereitung auf Ihre Reise
Planen Sie 10 bis 14 Tage in Istanbul. Ihr Chirurg überprüft Fotos und Ihre Krankengeschichte, bevor Sie buchen, und Sie treffen sich persönlich am Tag vor der Operation zur Untersuchung, Markierung und Zustimmung mit einem professionellen Dolmetscher.
- Stoppen Sie das Rauchen und Nikotin mindestens vier Wochen vor und nach der Operation; es ist die größte vermeidbare Ursache von Wundproblemen
- Erzählen Sie dem Team von allen Medikamenten und Ergänzungen, die Sie einnehmen; Blutverdünner, einige Kräuterprodukte und Hormonbehandlungen müssen möglicherweise auf Anraten Ihres Arztes unterbrochen werden
- Vereinbaren Sie, dass jemand mit Ihnen reist oder erreichbar ist, und halten Sie die ersten Tage zu Hause frei von Arbeit und Heben
- Buchen Sie einen veränderlichen Rückflug; Ihr Chirurg bestätigt, wenn Sie fit sind
Genesung und Ergebnisse
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
Sicherheit, Risiken und Revisionspolitik
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
Jeder schriftliche Vorschlag wird durch Clinic-Y gibt an, was die Klinik abdeckt, wenn eine Korrektur erforderlich ist. Fragen Sie danach, bevor Sie buchen, nicht danach.
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
Senden Sie Ihre Fotos oder Berichte und Sie erhalten geschrieben, All-inclusive Vorschläge von geeigneten Teams, Seite an Seite. Die Überprüfung Ihres Falls ist kostenlos.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
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.