Backed by proven expertise, we safeguard your eye health with confidence
Apollo Hospitals — a top 3 global hospital — located in Hyderabad, India.
Dr. Choi Gyeong-bae received corneal transplant training from Dr. Rajesh Fogla, the leading authority in corneal transplantation at Apollo Hospitals.
(L) Dr. Rajesh Fogla and (R) Director Choi
[Director Choi, Corneal Transplant Surgical Training — Supervisor: Dr. Rajesh Fogla]
The cornea is the transparent front window of the eye
When the cornea loses its transparency due to trauma, severe inflammation, or congenital causes — becoming opaque or clouded — light can no longer pass through, resulting in vision loss.
When such opacities cannot be treated with medication or laser, the damaged cornea must be removed and replaced with a clear donor cornea so that light can once again reach the inside of the eye.
Lamellar keratoplasty replaces only the diseased layer of the cornea while preserving the patient's healthy tissue. When the corneal disease is limited to a specific layer — anterior or posterior — only that layer is removed and replaced with the corresponding layer from a donor cornea, reducing rejection risk and shortening recovery.
Most corneal disease involves the full thickness of the cornea. Penetrating keratoplasty makes a circular 6–8 mm incision at the central cornea and replaces it with a similarly sized clear, healthy donor cornea, which is then sutured into place.
One-year graft survival without complications or rejection ranges from 80% to 90%, with five-year survival of approximately 60–70% — a relatively high success rate. If the transplanted cornea later loses clarity due to complications or rejection, re-grafting with another donor cornea is possible.
Eyes from infants under two years old or adults over seventy are generally not used for corneal transplantation. Eyes from individuals with infectious diseases such as AIDS or hepatitis, or systemic malignancies such as leukemia, are also typically excluded.
Unlike other organs, corneas can only be donated after death. Donation can be registered in advance or arranged after death by family members, by contacting a corneal transplant registration center or the national organ transplant management center.
Eye recovery should ideally take place within six hours after death. The eyelids are gently closed afterward, leaving the donor's appearance virtually unchanged. The cornea is then separated and preserved in a specialized 4 °C storage solution until surgery.
While both eye donations and corneal transplants are increasing, the number of donated corneas remains far below the waitlist demand. Greater public awareness of corneal donation is needed.
