Surgery Cornea transplant surgery may be performed under general or local anesthesia. The surgeon performs the operation, which usually lasts between one and two hours, looking through a high-powered surgical microscope. During the surgery, the surgeon removes the patient's damaged cornea and replaces it with the clear, donor cornea. After surgery, the patient's eye is patched with eye pads and covered with a metal or hard plastic shield to protect it from injury. The day after the surgery, the doctor examines the eye and usually puts the patch back on.
Many patients are able to open their eyes and notice visual improvements immediately.
Patients are allowed to eat something light as soon as they feel ready. Before going home, the patient is instructed on how to use the necessary medications, which may be ointments or eye drops, and given a medical schedule to follow. The early recovery period generally varies between one to three weeks following surgery. It is also very important for patients to keep every follow-up appointment with their doctor throughout the recovery period and to use medication exactly as prescribed. If the patient's body begins to reject the transplant or if any other problems occur, the situation can often be remedied if the patient contacts the doctor immediately.