Cornea Doctors Kansas City | Cornea Transplant Independence

Your Eye’s First Line of Defense

When your cornea is damaged by infection, injury or disease, incoming light can be blocked or distorted, affecting your ability to focus.

Experiencing symptoms of a damaged cornea? Make a Sabates appointment today.

Symptoms that you may have a corneal issue that needs to be addressed:

Blurred vision
Eye pain or stinging and burning
Consistent sensation of a foreign object in your eye
Light sensitivity
Redness of the eye
Swollen eyelids
Increased tear production

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Corneal abrasions: Caused by trauma to the eyeball, abrasions tend to heal quickly but can require antibiotics, steroids or other drugs to treat pain and light sensitivity.

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Corneal dystrophy: A genetic, sometimes progressive disorder in which abnormal material accumulates in the cornea. Some dystrophies are asymptomatic, while other cases may require medication, laser therapy or even a corneal transplant.

Corneal ulcer: An open sore on the cornea caused by an infection, most common in contact lens wearers. Most corneal ulcers can be treated with topical antibiotics.

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Keratoconus: A gradual thinning of the cornea’s round dome structure, causing a conelike protrusion and blurred vision, usually in younger patients. Special contact lenses may fix the issue, but a corneal transplant may be required in severe cases.

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Pterygium: A noncancerous growth usually found on the inner or outer corners of the eye. When a pterygium becomes red and irritated, eye drops or ointments may be used to help reduce the inflammation. If it’s large enough to threaten your vision, it can be removed surgically.

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If your cornea is badly damaged, you may be a candidate for a transplant.

Cornea transplant surgery, also known as corneal grafting, involves replacing a damaged or diseased cornea with donated corneal tissue, either partially or entirely.

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The majority of cornea transplants result in significant improvement in visual function for many years or a lifetime. In cases of rejection or transplant failure, the surgery can generally be repeated.

Cornea Doctor

Samantha Herretes, MD Alaina Geren, MD