Cornea transplant, also called Penetrating Keratoplasty (PKP), is a highly refined procedure involving the replacement of the eye’s damaged cornea with a donor cornea. The need for a corneal transplant is usually due to disease, injury, infection, previous eye surgery or other problems.
Immediately prior to surgery, you will be given local anesthesia to numb your eye and control unnecessary eye movement. In addition, you will also be given a sedative to relieve any anxiety you may be experiencing. Your surgeon will begin by removing a button of tissue from your cornea with micro-surgical instruments. A donor cornea will be prepared and a matching disc of the donor’s corneal tissue will be secured to your eye with delicate sutures. These sutures are barely visible and will not irritate your eye. Since PKP is a slow healing procedure, these sutures will remain in place while the wound heals.
