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Cornea Transplant Surgery – Oakland and East Bay Area

Batra Vision Medical Group is a leading eye care center for cornea transplant surgery in the Oakland and East Bay area. Cornea transplant surgery is one of the most commonly performed transplantation procedures and has a high success rate. We take a great deal of time discussing corneal care at our offices in San Leandro and Concord and will work with patients to determine the best treatment option available. In some cases, we can suggest a patient undergo a different ophthalmology procedure to delay or perhaps even eliminate the need for a cornea transplant.

• Cornea Transplant Surgery
• Cornea Disorders
• Intacs Cornea Inserts

Cornea Transplant Surgery

There are approximately 36,000 cornea transplant surgeries performed in the United Stated every year. Recent advances in surgical techniques have increased success rates, making the procedure even safer and more effective than before. Given the medical expertise of the eye doctors at Batra Vision Medical Group, you can rest assured you will receive exceptional treatment and care before and after your cornea transplant. We proudly serve the East Bay and Oakland area from our offices conveniently located in San Leandro and Concord.

What is the cornea?

The cornea is the clear front part of the eye that allows light to focus on the retina. A number of diseases and medical conditions can cause the cornea to become misshapen or cloudy resulting in impaired vision and in some cases blindness. In such cases, a cornea transplant can be performed to restore a patient's vision.

What is cornea transplant surgery?

Cornea transplant surgery refers to the replacement of a diseased cornea with a human donor cornea. The donated corneas come from a reputable eye bank and have been screened for any transmittable diseases.

An outpatient procedure that takes approximately one hour, cornea transplant surgery is performed at our offices serving the East Bay and Oakland area from San Leandro and Concord. The patient is placed under local anesthetic for the procedure. During the cornea transplant surgery, the old cornea is removed and replaced with the donor cornea. The donor cornea is held in place by stitches that will be removed during a later post-operative visit to our offices.

After cornea transplant surgery, the patient will experience some mild discomfort but will generally be able to return to work after three to four days. In a majority of cases, cornea transplant patients are not required to take anti-rejection medications following cornea transplant surgery.

When is cornea transplant surgery required?

Cornea transplant surgery is required to treat a variety of conditions that cause the degeneration, deformation, or clouding of the cornea. At our offices serving the Oakland and East Bay area, we will go over various treatment plans with you to ensure you understand all of your eye care options.

What results can I expect after cornea transplant surgery?

Results following cornea transplant surgery will vary from patient to patient. Generally, a patient's vision will be optimal approximately one year after cornea transplant surgery.

For the first few weeks to the first few months after cornea transplant surgery, you may notice a decline in your vision or vision fluctuations. This condition is normal. If you notice an improvement in vision during the first few weeks after surgery followed by a sudden decline in vision, you should contact our office.

How can I find out if I need a cornea transplant?

The best way to determine if you require a cornea transplant is to schedule a consultation at our offices. During your eye exam and consultation, your doctor will discuss whether or not you require a cornea transplant and if there are alternative treatments that can correct your condition. We will help you make the most informed decision possible about your eye health.

For more information on cornea transplant surgery in the East Bay and Oakland area, contact Batra Vision Medical Group today.

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Cornea Disorders

Below are several corneal disorders that can be treated using cornea transplant surgery. In some cases, a patient may be able to delay or eliminate the need for a cornea transplant using a different treatment. When you visit our offices, we will discuss the various options available to you so you can make an informed decision concerning the health of your eyes.

Keratoconus

Keratoconus is an eye disease that often emerges in a person’s teenage years and becomes progressively worse over time. Keratoconus causes the cornea to thin over time. As the cornea becomes thinner, the eye’s internal pressure causes the cornea to bulge outward in an irregular cone-like shape, seriously affecting a patient’s vision.

Corneal Clouding

The clouding of the cornea is often a result of traumatic injury or trauma to the eye, hereditary or genetic disorders, eye surgery complications, and bacterial infection of corneal scars. The clouding of the cornea can lead to various levels of vision impairment depending on the severity of the clouding and the cause of the corneal clouding.

Corneal Dystrophies

Corneal dystrophies are a group of rare cornea disorders ranging in severity that often affect both of a person’s eyes. These disorders may be present as early as birth, but more generally these disorders develop during a person’s adolescence and progress throughout a person’s lifetime. Below are two of the more common types of corneal dystrophies.

Fuchs' Dystrophy

Fuchs' dystrophy is a condition that affects the endothelium, the inner most layer of the cornea that is responsible for hydrating the cornea. Fuchs’ dystrophy occurs when the endothelial cells deteriorate for no apparent reason. Over time as more of the cells deteriorate, the endothelium becomes less efficient in hydrating the cornea and fails to pump water out. This causes the cornea to swell and a person’s vision to be impaired. If not treated, the epithelium, the outermost layer of the cornea, may take on water leading to severe pain and various forms of vision impairment.

Lattice Dystrophy

Though lattice dystrophy can develop at any time, the condition most commonly occurs in children between two to seven years old. It is a hereditary disorder in which abnormal protein fibers (amyloid deposits) accumulate throughout the stroma, the thickest layer of the cornea. Over time, these protein fibers create a lattice effect, gradually clouding the cornea and impairing a person’s vision. The fibers can also potentially accumulate under the epithelium causing it to deteriorate. The erosion of the epithelium can distort the curvature of the cornea leading to various vision problems and severe pain.

Corneal Edema

Corneal edema refers to the swelling of the cornea. While this should not be considered a diagnosis in itself, corneal edema is symptomatic of other cornea or eye disorders, including corneal dystrophies, contact lens disorders, eye trauma, or glaucoma.

To learn more about cornea transplant surgery in the Oakland and East Bay area, or to learn more about corneal disorders, contact Batra Vision Medical Group today.

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Intacs Cornea Inserts

Some patients suffer from a condition known as keratoconus, a disease that causes the progressive thinning and deformation of a patient's cornea. To treat keratoconus, we offer Intacs, specially designed corneal inserts that can correct astigmatism and nearsightedness. Intacs can delay or completely eliminate the need for cornea transplant surgery.

> learn more about Intacs

For more information on cornea transplant surgery and other treatment options in the East Bay and Oakland area, contact an ophthalmologist at Batra Vision Medical Group today.

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OUR NEW LOCATION SITE

Batra Vision Medical Group
15051 Hesperian Blvd. Suite A
San Leandro, CA 94578
Phone: (510) 276-1212
Fax: (510) 276-1313

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