But when I still couldn't open my eyes for another 20 minutes, I realized I'd reached the end of the road. Patinkin's right eye required an immediate corneal transplant and was placed on an emergency donor list. Then a year and a half later, Patinkin required a transplant on his left eye. Eye for an eye Keratoconus is one of three major conditions requiring corneal transplants. Patients with corneal infection and post-surgical cataract swelling are also on the short list of those requiring the procedure.
Corneal transplants are the most successful of all tissue transplants.
During the procedure, a portion of clear cornea from a donor's eye is grafted into the patient under general or local anesthesia. The cornea is replaced using very fine sutures, smaller in diameter than a human hair. A patch is worn over the eye for several days, along with a soft contact lens to promote healing. Eye drops are also prescribed for several months to reduce the risk of infection and rejection of corneal tissue. While the least likely of all transplant complications, rejection can occur within the first eighteen months.