Cornea & External Disease

What is the Cornea?

The cornea is the clear window in front of your eye that focuses light and allows you to see.

Corneal Transplant Surgery

A normal cornea is naturally clear.   If a patient has any scarring or disease on the cornea it can affect vision.  In the past, the entire cornea had to be replaced during surgery, but now only a portion of the cornea can be removed.  DSAEK and DMEK and DALK are types of partial cornea transplantation surgeries that increase recovery time and decrease potential complications of having a full thickness transplantation.

• Pentrating Keratoplasty (PKP) is a full thickness corneal transplant.  This is performed when multiple layers of the cornea are cloudy or unhealthy.
   
• Descemet’s Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK) is a partial thickness corneal transplant.  This is performed when only a few layers of the cornea need to be replaced.  Fuch’s Dystrophy or Bullous Keratopathy are diseases that may require a partial corneal transplant.
   
• Descemet’s Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) is the newest type of partial thickness transplant.  It only replaces 1 layer of the cornea and has the fastest recovery time.
   
• Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DALK) is a partial corneal transplant reserved for anterior corneal scarring or Keratoconus.

Dr. Lena Dixit and Dr. Ravi Patel of Eye Associates of Central Texas are Board-Certified and fellowship trained in Cornea and External disease.  Both Dr. Dixit and Dr. Patel studied at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the top-ranked eye hospital in the nation.  They specialize in the most current and advanced corneal procedures available. Dr. Dixit and Dr. Patel are amongst the few cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery specialists practicing in this area.