Glaucoma or Other Ocular Problems Glaucoma, or high pressure inside the eye, can occur after surgery and may require the continued use of drops or pills. In patients who have not previously had cataract extraction, corneal transplant surgery may hasten the development of a cataract. Swelling of the retina, called cystoid macular edema, may develop after surgery and cause blurred vision. The most common post-operative complication is astigmatism. In this condition the cornea does not have equally round curves, like the side of a basketball, but has unequal curves, more like the side of a football.
Many factors can contribute to the formation of astigmatism.
It may be corrected with glasses or may require the use of contact lenses. In some cases another operation may be needed to surgically correct the astigmatism. Occasionally the transplanted cornea may become cloudy because of rejection, decompensation of the tissue, or recurrence of the original disease process in the graft. If this happens your surgeon will discuss the chance that another operation will be successful. The corneas are human tissue which have been generously donated by the families of recently deceased relatives.