What is a Corneal Transplant?
The cornea is the clear tissue that covers the lens at the front of the eye. Blindness caused by clouding or distortion of the eye can be repaired by removing the damaged cornea and transplanting a healthy cornea from a donor.
During the transplant, the defective cornea is replaced by an identical sized piece of healthy corneal tissue and is held in place with sutures that are painless and nearly invisible.
The corneal transplant operation was first performed over a hundred years ago in 1905 and is still the basis for the current surgical technique.
” . . . . the most common and successful human transplant . . . . ”
This microsurgery can restore vision for more than 90% of the people suffering from corneal blindness. Around 500 of these operations are performed each year in NSW.
Appearance of the eye after a common type of corneal transplant surgery.
The stitches are eventually removed.
Corneal eye disease is the fourth most common cause of blindness (after cataracts, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration) and affects more than 10 million people worldwide.*
The Gift of Sight
Your donation can save someones sight, have the conversation with your family and raise awareness of this precious gift.
For more information about donation and what to expect:
Australian Organ Donor Register
Corneal transplant, what to expect
Source: Lions NSW Eyebank, All about Vision, NSW Human Services
