This article is all about eye transplant. It gives information about different types of eye transplants.
Eye transplant is commonly referred to as a corneal transplant. The whole eye transplant is still under experiment. Mostly, people undergo corneal transplant with the help of a donor cornea tissue.
Apart from this standard eye transplant procedure, there are few transplant procedures that are still under development. The corneal transplant does not involve the whole of the eye. It includes the entire cornea or a part of the cornea that needs removal.
So let us first talk about corneal transplants before the other types of transplant procedures.
What Happens In A Corneal Transplant?
Corneal transplant is one of the best and permanent ways to treat vision problems. This type of surgery can improve corneal defects successfully.
When the clear white part of the eye or the cornea of a person is damaged due to some injury, diseases, or other causes, it needs immediate replacement. But one has to wait for the donor cornea as a healthy cornea tissue is required for the transplant surgery.
Patients with long term cloudy vision, corneal scarring, or misshapen cornea can undergo transplant.
Why Corneal Transplants Are Performed?
The major reasons why corneal transplant is performed are as follows:
- To improve the optical quality of the cornea, transplant is mostly done in patients with the scarred or unhealthy cornea.
- For reconstructive reasons, a corneal transplant can be done, especially in the case of the perforated cornea.
- In some patients, a corneal transplant is done for therapeutic reasons. If the cornea develops ulcers, fungal infection or blister-like lesions, a corneal transplant is the best solution.
What Are The Corneal Transplant Types?
Penetrating Keratoplasty– This process of the corneal transplant involves the removal of the whole of the cornea tissue from the patient. This is done to remove the damaged and unhealthy cornea completely and replace it with a new donor cornea. After a thorough diagnosis of the doctor, the eye specialist will let the patient know if this is the right treatment for them. You need to find the best eye transplant hospital in India for proper and accurate treatment.
Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty– In this method only a part of the cornea is removed and replaced. This is done when there is a section of diseased or unhealthy cornea present. This surgery involves the frontal part of the cornea and not the entire one.
What Are The Other Forms Of Eye Transplant?
Apart from corneal transplant, some of the eye transplant surgeries that are mostly in the experimental stage are as follows:
Tear Duct Replacement– This transplant procedure is one of the modern transplant techniques which is still in its developing stage. People who suffer from prolonged tear duct blockage, this surgery may help them. But doctors are still researching with the right technique for the treatment. Also, not all eye hospitals will have equipment and facilities for such advanced treatment.
Amniotic Membrane Transplant– In this treatment, the amniotic Membrane is replaced to cure certain eye issues that mostly involve the sclera of the eye. This transplant surgery is successfully done in many eye clinics.
Retinal Pigment Epithelium Transplant– In some testing this treatment has been successful. This treatment is said to be effective in treating patients who are suffering from macular degeneration or diseases involving cells of the retina.
Success Rate of Eye Transplants
There are a few temporary side effects that occur after transplant surgery. Once the side effects subside with proper medicine and care, the patient recovers very fast and gets impressive results. Especially, a corneal transplant is a very successful procedure.
People who are suffering from the damaged cornea, weak and unhealthy cornea, may opt for a transplant. Since the other transplant surgeries are still experimental, their success rate is still not known clearly.