Eye sight after cornea transplant operation One of the mental conflicts of patients who are candidates for corneal transplant surgery is how much their vision will improve after the surgery. How long does it take to improve vision? In this article, we try to familiarize you with the process of improving eye sight after corneal transplant surgery and the measures that need to be followed for this improvement. The cornea is a thin and very transparent layer with a thickness of approximately 520 microns, which is located in the front of the eye. This layer plays a major role in focusing light on the surface of the retina, and if it is damaged and infected for any reason (stroke, acute and chronic infections, keratoconus, etc.), the quality of vision is affected. Corneal transplant surgery is a treatment method. This method is used in cases where the cornea of ​​the eye is seriously damaged and cannot be healed or regenerated. In this surgery, the patient's damaged cornea is replaced with a healthy and suitable cornea. Several methods in corneal transplant surgery Corneal transplant surgery can include several different methods and techniques depending on the patient's condition and the examinations performed. These methods include: Full-thickness or full-thickness corneal transplant, known as pk, is used in cases where a large part of the cornea of the eye is damaged and diseased, and all layers need to be replaced with a new cornea. In this method, the new cornea is fixed in the previous place using fine stitches. This method has a longer recovery period than other methods. Layered corneal transplant, in which only a part of the damaged cornea is removed and replaced by a new cornea, leaving the healthy parts of the patient's cornea in place. This method includes two techniques known as DALK (the deep layers of the patient's cornea are preserved and only the surface layer of the patient's cornea is replaced with a new cornea) and DSAEK (the deep layer called the endothelium is removed and the new corneal endothelium is replaced). In the DSAEK method, the recovery period will be less. In all the mentioned methods and techniques, vision will be completely blurred after removing the dressing. Even sometimes, in some cases, vision will get worse. In the treatment process after transplant surgery, you should not expect good and clear vision in the first days and weeks after the operation. **Read more:** **All About** **Corneal Transplantation** ### The recovery period after cornea transplant surgery Pain, sensitivity, and tearing of the eyes are also completely normal in the first weeks after the operation and will decrease over time. In cornea transplant surgery, the priority and first step of our effort is to avoid eye infection and prevent complications such as high eye pressure. In the next step, in order to get a better vision, you have to wait until the complete fusion of the cornea and the removal of all the microscopic stitches, which takes about one to two years. In the first months after the operation, the vision may be variable and decrease or increase during different times. For this reason, even the use of prescription glasses may not help and may not have an effect on improving the patient's vision. But over time, according to the doctor's diagnosis and examinations, using prescription glasses or hard lenses can help improve the quality of vision. In a number of patients, in order to reduce the amount of astigmatism caused by the sutures, a re-surgery may be performed on the cornea. The stitches that keep the donor cornea fixed on the patient's eye may cause irregularities in the cornea and vision. This uneven surface can cause astigmatism, and astigmatism can blur your vision. Even up to 20% of cases may require the use of hard or scleral lenses to correct corneal irregularities after transplantation. ### Corneal transplant success rate despite other eye problems Another very important point is that in a person who has a corneal problem, sometimes there may be problems with the optic nerve, especially due to glaucoma and retinal problems. Unfortunately, due to the opacity of the cornea, it is not possible to accurately measure the damage of this tissue before corneal transplantation. Therefore, it is possible that due to other eye problems after a successful corneal transplant and clear corneal tissue, the patient's vision may improve slightly or even not change at all. Also, in about 5% of cases, the cornea may not be clear immediately after the corneal transplant, and vision may not improve, requiring re-transplantation. In addition, over time, the transplanted cornea is subject to rejection of the transplant and the reduction of corneal cells, and it may become cloudy. Finally, it should be noted that all people who have undergone or are candidates for transplant surgery should know that in the first few months after corneal transplant surgery, your vision may even get worse before it gets better. You may have blurred vision until the eye adjusts to the new cornea. Of course, with the passage of time, the vision of the eye improves after the corneal transplant operation. In order to improve the vision after the operation and get the desired result, you have to be very patient. Until the end of the treatment process, undergo detailed and regular examinations by your doctor.