Corneal Translplants: Past, Present and Future

by Dr Michalis Palos, Ophthalmologist, Pantheo Eye Centre

Introduction by Dr Katia Papastavroum Consultant Ophthalmologist, Pantheo Eye Centre

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr Michalis Palos is an ophthalmologist at Pantheo Eye Center. He completed his medical degree and specialisation in ophthalmology at Charles University in Prague. He undertook further subspecialty training in Cornea and External Eye Disease at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London and at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston. His clinical and research interests include keratoconus, corneal dystrophies, corneal transplantation, advances in corneal surgery, amniotic membrane transplantation and ocular surface disease.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Corneal transplantation is a surgical procedure in which a damaged cornea is replaced with a donor graft. When the entire cornea is replaced, the procedure is known as penetrating keratoplasty, and when only part of the cornea is replaced, it is known as lamellar keratoplasty (anterior or posterior). The medical reasons for proceeding with a corneal transplantation include: corneal scarring due to injury or infection; corneal ulcers; keratoconus (a medical condition that causes the cornea to bulge outwards); thinning, clouding, or swelling of the cornea; inherited eye diseases, such as Fuchs’ dystrophy; and complications from previous eye surgery.