Cornea
Your eyes contain layers of soft tissue that are susceptible to injury and disease from outside and inside your body. They need constant protection and maintenance to keep them healthy and functioning correctly.
Your cornea, the transparent outer layer of your eye, is one line of defense built into your eyes. It protects them from contaminants and debris from the outside world.
But, your cornea is not just for protection. It also handles a primary function of eyesight. Keeping your cornea healthy is vital to the safety of your eyes and having clear vision.
The eye doctors at Eye Group of Connecticut are experts at maintaining healthy corneas. We can help you keep them safe and healthy and improve their function to enhance your eyesight.
Our CORNEA services include:
- Treatment of various infections
- Treatment of complications due to contact lens overwear
- Treatment of various corneal dystrophies including Fuch’s Endothelial Dystrophy
- Cornea trauma care
We are happy to discuss and can provide numerous surgical interventions such as:
- Various types of Cornea Transplantation
- Laser Keratectomy to treat visually-significant scarring
- Pterygium Surgery
In order to maintain good vision, your cornea must remain clear, smooth, and healthy throughout your life. Any swelling, scarring, or change in proper corneal shape can have detrimental effects such as blurry vision, glare, light sensitivity, or even blindness.
Common problems leading to corneal dysfunction include various infections, Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy, other types of dystrophies, trauma, and genetic conditions such as keratoconus.
Cornea Transplantation
If the cornea is damaged and cannot be sufficiently repaired by medical treatments, it might be necessary to replace the cornea. This is known as a corneal transplant. During corneal transplantation, diseased cornea is removed and replaced with a clear, healthy cornea from a human donor.
These donated corneas are harvested from people who just passed away and are thoroughly tested for infections and other diseases before they can be safely used.
There are different types of corneal transplants.
In some cases, the entire cornea needs to be replaced. This is known as Full-Thickness transplantation.
In other cases, only the innermost layer is removed and replaced – also known as Endothelial Keratoplasty or Partial-Thickness transplantation.
Care for Corneal Transplant is extensive and requires a long-term partnership between a patient and their cornea surgeon.