Abstract
Background: Corneal transplant is the most prevalent solid tissue transplant performed worldwide, restoring vision to patients with corneal opacity, keratoconus, endothelial failure, and other corneal conditions. Surgical techniques have dramatically enhanced the success rate of graft survival and vision over the last two decades.
Objective: The present article gives an overview of various corneal transplant procedures, including penetrating keratoplasty (PK), lamellar keratoplasty (LK), endothelial keratoplasty (EK), and emerging bioengineered grafts, emphasizing their applications, outcomes, advantages, and disadvantages.
Methods: A detailed study of the literature and incorporation of recent clinical accounts were done to analyze surgical techniques, postoperative visual outcomes, graft survival, and complication rates in various transplantation procedures.
Results: Lamellar surgery, such as Descemet’s stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) and Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK), is associated with faster visual recovery and lower rejection rates compared with the standard PK. Advances in donor tissue processing, femtosecond lasers, and minimally invasive techniques optimized overall success.
Conclusion: Evolution from complete thickness to selective layer transplantation has revolutionized the science of corneal surgery. Patient-specific selection of technique and continuous innovation promise even superior visual rehabilitation and graft survival in the long term.
Keyword: Corneal transplantation, penetrating keratoplasty, lamellar keratoplasty, endothelial keratoplasty, DSAEK, DMEK, graft survival, visual outcomes, surgical innovations.