Corneal transplantation in Türkiye

Corneal transplantationIn Türkiye it is an outpatient procedure. Most corneal transplants have positive outcomes, and success rates go up as techniques and training methods improve.

What is the process of corneal transplantation?

When an injury or disease has damaged your cornea, a corneal transplant may be able to restore or significantly improve your vision. 
The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped surface at the front of the eye. The cornea helps protect your eyes from dust, germs, and foreign particles

• eyelid
• orb
• tears
• White parts of the eye, or sclera

How is corneal transplantation performed in Türkiye?

Corneal tissue can quickly heal minor injuries and scrapes before you suffer from infection or visual disturbances. However, deep injuries can permanently damage your eyesight. A corneal transplant, or keratoplasty, is a surgical procedure that replaces a damaged or diseased cornea with healthy tissue from a donor.

Corneal tissue comes from a deceased tissue donor. Since almost everyone can donate their cornea after their death, the waiting list is usually not as long as it is for other major organ transplants. The tissue generally comes from an eye bank and will be tested prior to transplantation to ensure it is safe for you.

If you are not a good candidate for a corneal transplant using donor tissue, you may be a candidate for an artificial cornea transplant. Donor tissue tends to produce the best outcome for the majority of people. However, an artificial corneal transplant may be more successful for people with severe superficial eye disease or who have had more than one failed transplant in the past.

Why do I need to farm?

A corneal transplant can restore or significantly improve vision if you have a damaged or diseased cornea. It may also treat:

• Fuchs ‘ dystrophy, which is a lowering of the inner layer of the cornea
• Keratoconus
• Retinal corneal atrophy
• Cornea that swells outward
• Corneal thinning
• Corneal scarring, swelling, or swelling
• Corneal ulcers, which are often caused by trauma, such as a scratched cornea

How do I prepare for a corneal transplant in Türkiye?

Before planning a corneal transplant, you will need a careful eye exam. Your doctor will take accurate measurements of your eye and treat any unrelated eye problems that could affect the surgery.

Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions and any prescription and over-the-counter medications you take. You may need to stop taking medications that interfere with blood clotting.

Before the day of the operation, ask your doctor for specific preparation instructions for your procedure. These may include:

• Not eating and drinking after midnight the night before the corneal transplant
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing on the day of the procedure
• Keep your face free of makeup, creams, lotions, and jewelry
• Arranging for someone to drive you home after the procedure (we at REHABTÜRK assign you a chauffeur to drive you to your place of residence)

What happens during a corneal transplant?

You will likely stay awake during the transplant, but you may receive a sedative to help you relax. The surgeon injects a local anesthetic around the eye to prevent pain and keep the eye muscles moving.

Surgery involves the use of a microscope. The surgeon will remove a small, round piece of the cornea using a cutting tool.

The surgeon will place the new cornea, cut it to fit, and sew it with ultra-fine sutures that will stay in place until your eye is completely healed. Your doctor will easily remove this suture later.

The process takes about one to two hours. You will spend an additional hour or two in the recovery room.

What happens after a corneal transplant?

You will be able to go home the same day as the surgery. You may feel some pain, and you will likely wear an eye patch or gauze over the affected eye for up to four days. Don’t rub your eyes. Your doctor will prescribe eye drops and possibly oral medications to help with healing and to prevent rejection or infection.

Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of these symptoms:

• shortness of breath
• Coughing
• Source
• Fever
• goosebumps
• nausea
• vomiting

What are the risks associated with a corneal transplant?

A corneal transplant is a relatively safe procedure, but its risks include:

• bleeding
• infection
• swelling
• Clouding of the lens or cataracts
• Increased pressure in the eyeball, or glaucoma

Body rejection of the donor cornea

Your body may reject the transplanted tissue. According to the  NEI,  approximately 20 percent of patients reject a donor cornea.

In many cases, steroid eye drops can control rejection. The risk of rejection decreases over time, but it does not go away completely.

Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of the following warning signs of rejection:

• decreased vision
• Increased redness of the eye
• increasing in pain
• Increased sensitivity to light

Full recovery period after corneal transplantation in Türkiye

 Your doctor will remove the suture used during surgery after healing is complete. You will always need to take extra precautions to avoid injuring your eye while playing sports or exercise. You should continue to have regular eye exams as instructed by your doctor.

Most people experience at least partial recovery of their vision, and some will go on to require eyeglasses. Full recovery can take up to a year, but recovery times decrease as techniques improve

Corneal transplantation in Türkiye

Many patients come to Türkiye for corneal transplantation.

REHABTÜRK Services provides treatment services to patients in addition to transportation, accommodation and full trip coordination services.
Corneal transplantation in Türkiye requires at least 20 nights for patients from abroad.

It requires 10 days to find the new cornea for the patient, then corneal transplantation in Türkiye can be performed and the patient will be followed up. They can go home and return to their normal lives.

Patients receive intensive post-operative care to check their condition and satisfaction after the corneal transplant. In addition, our patient support team is available 24/7.

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