What is a cornea?
Your cornea is the front, clear window of your eye.
Do I need to see a cornea specialist?
Your cornea can become cloudy for a variety of reasons: swelling, infection, trauma, or genetic conditions. These include Fuchs’ Dystrophy, Keratoconus, Post-LASIK ectasia, Neurotrophic Keratitis (such as after Shingles), and other causes of corneal swelling or scarring. If your cornea is preventing you from seeing clearly, you should see a cornea specialist.
Is Dr. Bhasin a cornea specialist?
Yes. In addition to medical school and ophthalmology residency, Dr. Bhasin completed a surgical fellowship specializing in diseases of the cornea at Emory University.
Do I need a cornea transplant?
If your cornea is scarred or swollen, and eye drops do not help, you may be a candidate for a cornea transplant. A transplant is only performed after all other therapies have been tried first.
What is a cornea transplant?
A cornea transplant involves replacing one or more layers of your cornea with a donor cornea.
What is a donor cornea?
A donor cornea is a gift from a deceased person’s family to restore your vision. Donor corneas are rigorously screened for infection and other conditions that could make a cornea unsuitable for donation. Donor corneas are stored at the Georgia Eye Bank and prepared for specifically for you on the day before your surgery.
Will I need eye drops after surgery?
Yes. Eye drops help to decrease infection and reduce swelling. You may need to use eye drops for a long time (greater than 1 year) after a cornea transplant.
What are the risks of a cornea transplant?
Transplant surgery has advanced significantly in the past decade, making the procedure safer than it ever was. However, a cornea transplant is still a major surgery and carries a risk of infection, rejection, decreased vision, glaucoma, and the need for more procedures.
Are there different types of cornea transplants?
Yes. Either the whole cornea or individual layers of the cornea can be replaced. Dr. Bhasin is trained in the latest techniques to replace individual microscopic layers of the cornea. Replacing only the necessary layers instead of the whole cornea means faster healing and better vision.
What is corneal crosslinking?
Corneal crosslinking is a procedure to stabilize keratoconus. The goal of crosslinking is to strengthen collagen fibers to preserve vision and delay or avoid the need for a transplant.
Please schedule an appointment at your convenience to discuss which options are right for you.