Almost 400 Utahns receive the gift of sight each year.
Anyone could one day need a cornea transplant. Listed below are some of the common reasons transplants are performed.
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Trauma: Sharp objects can easily damage the cornea. |
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Chemical Burns: Common household items such as bleach and ammonia can cause serious burns to the eye. |
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Keratoconus: A degenerative disorder, in which the cornea becomes progressively thin and steep sided, resulting in conical astigmatism. |
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Fuch’s Dystrophy: The rapid decline of endothelial cells in the cornea. The consequence is swelling and gradual vision loss. |
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Herpetic Viruses: Herpes simplex virus (HSV) type I, which is known to affect between 85-95% of the adult population, can cause significant damage to the cornea. This is the same virus that causes the common cold sore. |
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Pseudophakic Bullous Keratopathy: A loss of normal cornea function that accompanies 1-2% of all cataract surgeries. Results in swelling, possibly pain, and loss of vision. |
