Corneal Disease

The cornea is the transparent part of the front of the eye. It is the first part of the eye to capture light and is responsible for a large portion of our vision. When the cornea is damaged by injury or disease it can lead to loss of vision or sometimes even blindness. Our corneal & external disease specialists are fellowship-trained in the latest procedures and treatments for corneal disease.

It is very important to wear protective eyewear in various activities to prevent corneal injury. Many chemicals and sharp objects can cause severe damage to the cornea.

There are many different corneal diseases. Some are caused by bacterial, fungal or viral infections, while some are hereditary or develop over time. Associated Eye Care offers treatment for many corneal and external eye diseases, including:

• Scleritis (inflammation of the sclera, the white part of the eye)
• Keratitis (inflammation of the cornea)
• Corneal ulcers and abrasions
• Fuchs’ Dystrophy (cloudy morning vision)
• Keratonconus (deterioration of the cornea, leading to change of shape and loss of vision)

To visit the National Keratoconus Foundation website, click here.

Corneal Transplants

When the cornea becomes very damaged, a corneal transplant may be needed to help restore some sight. Patients in need of a corneal transplant must be placed on the waiting list for corneal tissue. The amount of time a patient must wait varies.

When the corneal transplant is finished it can take up to a year to know how much vision has been regained. As with any kind of transplant, corneal rejection can occur. Signs of rejection may be redness, or decrease in vision. Corneal rejection is not common, however.