Chicago / Des Plaines Corneal Transplants Specialists
The Midwest Center for Sight
What is the cornea?
The cornea is the clear front window of the eye that covers the iris and the pupil. Light is focused passing through the cornea allowing us to see.
The cornea has three main layers, the outer or epithelial, the middle or stromal and the inner layer or the endothelial.
Can an unhealthy cornea affect my vision?
A cornea that has been damaged by injury, infection or disease can become swollen or scarred losing its smoothness and clarity. Scars and swelling make the shape of the cornea irregular resulting in glare or blurry vision.
Some conditions can affect the cornea's endothelial cells (the inner layer) including Fuch's dystrophy and pseudophakic bullous keratopathy as well as previous eye surgery.
When many endothelial cells are injured or lost, the fluid that circulates inside the eyeball seeps into the cornea, causing it to become swollen and cloudy. When this condition occurs, medical treatments usually will not help, and a cornea transplant is recommended. Cornea transplants are the most common transplant procedure in the country.
There are two surgical procedures for corneal transplants: