PKP and DSEK

It is researched that injury, disease and age are three major factors to rub us of the most important senses - vision. But it is lucky for us today that advanced modern hi-tech can help us to lessen the bad damages and improve our vision. Corneal transplant is just one of advanced hi-tech. The following will introduce PKP and DSEK in order to help people to know more about corneal transplant technology.

PKP is shorted for Penetrating Keratoplasty Procedure, which is taken by replacing part of patients' unhealthy, clouded cornea with a cadaver's donated issue. Surgeons will cut a "window" and sew in the new piece, so it will take at least six months to remove those stitches. Just as Dr. M. Bowes Hamill said, PKP or total corneal transplant is regarded as the gold standard for those who have scarred or damaged corneas.

PKP indeed contributed a lot to people with damaged or scarred corneas, while it also has some shortcomings. In common cases, patients after PKP need to wear hard contact lenses and they only can see 20/20 with the addition.  And for old people with arthritis or other dexterity problems, it will be hard for them to put on the contact lenses.  Another shortcoming is there will be some possibility of rupture as the tissue never really regains its strength.

With the fast development of advanced eye technology, DSEK comes into being. Dr. Jone Hovanesian of Harvard Eye Associates is the first surgeon in Southern California to perform DSEK. Compared with PKP, patients taking DSEK surgery will have less pain and quicker time for recovery as surgeons will use special instruments to go through the front of the cornea, strip the back part painlessly and replace it with a healthy graft from a cadaver donor. DSEK can also enable patients to have less possibility to have astigmatism. Unlike other transplants, DSEK only requires patients to take some eye drops steroid in nature after the transplants, no need to take anti-rejection pills.

Now you may be interested in DSEK and want to know if you or your family members are suitable for this transplant. Actually, don't worry too much about the age. In common cases, the younger the patient is, the better result will be achieved. But the fact is people at their 90's can also have successful transplants. In addition, people who only have one kind of eye disease will have better treating results. Before deciding to take this surgery, it is important to talk with our ophthalmologist first to test your eye condition and procedure will be applied.

Compared with PKP, DSEK has less down time. After the surgery, patients are required to lie as flat as possible for 24 hours. After that, the air bubble dissolves and the graft is set permanently. And patients should bear in mind the following points after DSEK: first, do not do any lifting or exercises for a week. Second, try to avoid in the circumstances with dust and dirt for two weeks, which will cause eye infection. Third, patients should keep away from chlorinated water.

If you want to know more about vision knowledge, then feel free to visit http://vision.firmoo.com/vision-surgery