Cornea Eye Surgery

The cornea is the transparent outer layer at the front of the eye. The cornea helps your eye to focus light so you can watch clearly.

What are the main types of corneal conditions?
Several common conditions affect the cornea.
Injuries. Minor abrasions (scratches) on the cornea usually heal on their own. Deeper scratches or other damages can cause corneal scarring and vision problems.
Allergies. Allergies to pollen can irritate the eyes and cause allergic conjunctivitis (pink eye). This can make your eyes red, itchy, and watery.

Keratitis. Keratitis is inflammation of the cornea. Infections related to contact lenses are the most common cause of keratitis.

Dry eye. A dry eye happens when your eyes don’t make sufficient tears to stay wet. This can be uncomfortable & may cause eyesight problems.

Corneal dystrophies. Corneal dystrophies cause cloudy vision when material builds up on the cornea. These diseases usually run in families.

What is the treatment for corneal conditions?
Various corneal conditions can be treated with prescription eye drops or pills. If you have advanced corneal disease, you may need a different treatment.

Laser treatment. To treat some corneal dystrophies & other conditions, our doctors can use a type of laser treatment called phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) to redesign the cornea, remove scar tissue, and make vision clearer.

Corneal transplant surgery. If the damage to your cornea can’t be repaired, our doctors can remove the damaged part and replace it with healthy corneal tissue from a donor.

Artificial cornea. As an alternative to a corneal transplant, our doctors can replace a damaged cornea with an artificial cornea, called a keratoprosthesis (KPro).