The cornea, the transparent dome of the eye, captures light and directs it to the retina. Its rigid, porthole-like structure protects it from external aggressions while providing clear vision.
Unfortunately, the cornea can be affected by various pathologies that alter its transparency and lead to reduced vision or even blindness. In some cases, a corneal transplant is required to restore vision.
- People with a sick or damaged cornea.
- People suffering from keratoconus, chemical burns of the cornea and corneal stromal dystrophies.
- Transplant rejection.
- Infection.
- Glaucoma.
- The operation lasts between 1 and 2 hours.
- A work stop of 8 to 21 days may be prescribed.
- The scarring of the corneal transplant is very slow (more than 5 years).
- Final visual result 6 months to a year.
- 90%
Corneal transplant surgery in Turkey: Best surgeons & cost
Bring your eyes back to life with a corneal transplant in Turkey. Our clinical partners offer solutions tailored to your needs, all within a high-level medical framework.
Save money on your procedure without compromising quality and benefit from the latest advances in eye surgery.
Corneal transplant cost in Turkey ranges from 6,000 to 8,000 Dollars per eye.
Don't wait any longer to regain your clear vision. Contact us now for a free teleconsultation and your personalized quote.
Good to know: Although corneal transplants are often covered by insurance, please check the terms of your policy.
Best Clinics with Verified Reviews
- Network of 25 Clinics in Ophthalmology
- 2 Clinics in Germany and 1 in Amsterdam
- 96,000 patients in 2017
- Grand Hospital founded in 1999
- 200 Beds
- 53,000 square meters
- Member of the American Hospital Association (AHA)
- Capacity of 230 beds
- The best hospital in Ankara
What is a cornea transplant?
Keratoplasty, or corneal transplantation, is a surgical procedure indicated for loss of corneal transparency due to a variety of pathologies. By replacing diseased corneal tissue with a graft, this procedure restores visual function and significantly improves the patient's quality of life.
Turkish ophthalmology centers offer recognized expertise in this field, providing advanced surgical techniques and personalized post-operative care.
Corneal diagnosis: In which cases?
A damaged cornea can lead to a variety of visual problems. If you experience any of the following symptoms, you should see an eye care professional:
- Decreased visual acuity: blurred or double vision that does not improve with glasses or contact lenses.
- Sensitivity to light: Severe discomfort when exposed to bright light.
- Halos or glare around lights: Colored circles or beams of light around light sources.
- Chronic eye pain: A burning, scratching, or squeezing sensation in the eye.
Although these symptoms can be signs of other eye problems, your ophthalmologist can determine whether keratoplasty is needed to restore your vision.
Indications for keratoplasty
Eye diseases can cause irreversible damage to the cornea, severely affecting vision. In such cases, corneal transplantation in Turkey may be the most appropriate therapeutic solution.
Eye diseases that sometimes require corneal transplantation include
- Fuchs' dystrophy: a degeneration of the cornea leading to edema and progressive vision loss.
- Keratoconus: a degenerative disease of the cornea that deforms and thins, causing blurred, distorted vision.
- Corneal infections: certain infections can cause irreversible damage to the cornea, requiring transplantation.
- Corneal trauma: Deep wounds to the cornea can result in clouding scars.
- Surgical sequelae: Some eye surgeries can cause irreversible damage to the cornea.
- Bullous keratopathy: a condition characterized by the formation of blisters on the cornea, resulting in reduced vision.
- Keratitis: an inflammation of the cornea due to a variety of causes (viral, bacterial, parasitic) that can leave permanent scarring.
Corneal transplant procedure in Turkey
Corneal transplantation is a meticulous surgical procedure performed under a microscope in a sterile environment. The patient lies on his or her back under local or general anesthesia.
During the surgery, the damaged cornea is replaced with a healthy cornea from a donor. Depending on the extent of the damage, the surgeon may replace the entire cornea (penetrating keratoplasty) or only part of the cornea (lamellar keratoplasty).
In some cases, corneal transplantation may be combined with other eye procedures, such as cataract or glaucoma surgery.
The hospital stay is usually 2 to 5 days, depending on the complexity of the procedure and the patient's response.
After keratoplasty surgery
During the first few days after keratoplasty, it's common to experience redness, eye irritation, and sensitivity to light. These symptoms, which are usually mild, can be relieved with pain medication prescribed by your ophthalmologist.
A head-up position is recommended for a few days for endothelial grafts to promote healing.
A follow-up visit is scheduled 24 to 48 hours after surgery. Your surgeon will evaluate the condition of your eye and adjust your treatment with eye drops and ointments as needed. This local care is essential for optimal healing and gradual visual recovery.
Recovery after corneal transplantation
Postoperative care varies depending on the surgical technique used. Sutures, if any, will be removed by your surgeon.
Immediately after surgery, your eye will be protected with a bandage. For the first few days, it is recommended that you wear an eye patch while sleeping and washing to prevent accidental rubbing.
Your surgeon will give you detailed instructions on activities to avoid, promoting optimal healing. It is often necessary to wear protective glasses for a period of time.
During your recovery, you must not rub or press on the operated eye, as this could affect the outcome of the surgery.
Share this page
Corneal transplants are indicated in the following cases:
- Fuchs dystrophy: degenerative disease causing premature aging of the cornea.
- Keratitis: bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection of the cornea.
- Keratoconus: deformation of the cornea in the shape of a cone.
- The rejection of a previous graft.
- Replacement of an aged graft.
- Corneal trauma.
Keratoplasty can be done at any age, up to the age of 90.
The return of vision would be a few days after the operation. However, the sharpness of vision would be achieved very gradually. As for precise and final visual acuity, it would be obtained after six to twelve postoperative months.
The success rate of cornea transplant in Turkey is 90%.
