What is Keratoconus?  

It is a non-inflammatory, progressive, bilateral corneal ectasia characterized by thinning of the corneal center and an increase in anterior bulging.

The disease is asymmetric, which means that a decrease in vision in one eye of the patient is more obvious. It's a progressive disease. It usually starts in the puberty period.

What are the treatment methods?

Contact Lenses

Glasses

Crosslinking

Corneal Ring

Corneal Transplantation

Crosslinking has become the most commonly used method today to prevent the progression of the disease. By crosslinking, the cornea strengthened and the progression of the disease is stopped.

What is corneal transplantation?

Corneal transplantation, surgery to remove corneal tissue that has lost its transparency or deteriorated shape, and placement of healthy corneal tissue taken from the dead instead. It is used in advanced stages of keratoconus disease as well as in many diseases where the cornea loses its transparency.

In which situations is corneal transplantation required? 

- If cells that allow the cornea to remain transparent after eye surgery are damaged and the cornea becomes cloudy

- If the shape of the dome of the cornea is distorted, for example if it becomes conical (keratoconus)

- In some hereditary corneal diseases

- If the corneal scar and new vasculature (eg Herpes virus-keratitis) occur due to infection

- If the cornea is blurred due to accidents or if the integrity is severely degraded

- If the cornea rejects the body tissue after transplantation

How is corneal transplant surgery done? 

Corneal transplant surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia. Under a microscope, a window with a diameter of 7.5-8 mm is removed from the center of the patient's fuzzy cornea with a special round knife, and the transparent corneal tissue taken from the dead is stitched to the appropriate size. If the patient has cataracts, cataracts can also be taken during corneal transplantation. Corneal transplantation, surgery to remove corneal tissue that has lost its transparency or deteriorated shape, and placement of healthy corneal tissue taken from the dead instead.