Cornea Transplant Doctor in McAllen, TX

If the damage on your cornea is on the innermost layer, you may only need a partial transplant, also known as deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK). During this surgery, your McAllen corneal transplant surgeon replaces the damaged cells or diseased cornea with new donor tissue. The procedure only requires a few stitches—if any—to aid the healing process. This surgery has a much lower risk of your eye rejecting the transplant compared to a full-thickness transplant.

Deciding on the right cornea transplant depends on the severity of the damage to your eye. If all layers of your cornea are damaged, you’ll probably need full-thickness corneal transplantation, also called penetrating keratoplasty (PK). Recovery for this procedure is longer, and regaining clear vision may take about a year. While rejection risks are higher with this procedure, Dr. Gelman uses specialized eye drops to help your body accept the new cornea.