Corneal Transplant
The cornea is the first transparent lens of the eye, which is like a dome on the outermost part of the eye. In certain diseases this cornea becomes opaque and does not allow vision. In this situation, corneal transplant surgery is required.
The so-called penetrating cornea transplant consists of removing the central 7 or 8 millimeters of the patient's cornea and replacing them with a donor cornea.
This surgery allows light to re-enter the eye, allowing the patient to see.
This surgery is performed when the layer of the cornea called stroma is very opaque and has no chance of becoming transparent again, or when it is very weakened, as in the case of very advanced Keratoconus.
Corneal Endothelial Transplant
This new surgery technique consists of transplanting only the innermost layers of the cornea, so that the external part of the cornea continues to be that of the same patient (It is not necessary to make the circular incision in 360 degrees, but rather a small one of only 5mm ).
The appearance of the eye in the postoperative period is practically the same as that of a normal eye, without surgery.
It is a technique that requires the use of a series of special equipment to be able to remove the delicate deepest layers of the cornea, both from the recipient and the donor, in order to then implant it inside the eye.
Among the main advantages of this type of transplant are:
- Much faster visual recovery.
- Less distortion of vision.
- Much less chance of rejection.
This technique can be used when the innermost layer of the cornea (the endothelium) is damaged, but the stroma (the thickest corneal layer) is healthy. If the stroma is affected, a penetrating (total) corneal transplant is required.
It is a surgery that has helped thousands of people regain their vision, and therefore it is very important that we are all aware that donating our organs, after our death, is something that we must express to our family members, so that others human beings in difficulty can benefit from them, bringing a light of hope to other lives.
This type of total corneal transplant requires a full-thickness circular incision, which in the event of trauma can open and also has certain associated risks, such as rejection by the recipient, or the induction of astigmatism that distorts the patient's vision. .
This innovative surgery allows the possibility of these patients regaining their vision again to be very high.
The experience and professionalism of Dr. Virgilio Galvis has allowed this to become a reality in our city, for the benefit of patients from the Department of Santander and throughout Eastern Colombia.
While a full-thickness 360-degree incision is required in total transplantation, only a small upper incision is needed in endothelial transplantation, which makes eye recovery much faster.
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