About Us
Cornea Transplant Service in Hong Kong West Cluster
Cornea transplant service in Hong Kong West Cluster was provided by the anterior segment team of the department of Ophthalmology.
The first cornea transplant in Hong Kong West Cluster was performed in Tung Wah Hospital in 1994. Nowadays, most of the surgeries were performed in Queen Mary Hospital and Grantham Hospital. We have around 30 cornea transplant surgeries in a year.
Our department is a tertiary referral center. Patients were referred to us by doctors from the general or specialty outpatient clinic, Accidents & Emergency department or private clinic.
We work closely with the Eye Bank of Hong Kong in provision of donated cornea to our patients.
Cornea transplant was a surgery to replace the diseased cornea of the patient by a clear donated cornea. The surgery helps to restore vision, reduce eye pain and improve the appearance of the eye.
The types of cornea transplant we performed include penetrating keratoplasty, lamellar keratoplasty, endothelial keratoplasty, paediatric keratoplasty and keratoprosthesis. They can be done under local or general anaesthesia.
Penetrating Keratoplasty
This is the conventional method of cornea transplant.
The surgery involves a full thickness replacement of the cornea.
It was used in diseases affecting multiple layers of the cornea such as cornea scars.
The new cornea was secured in place with multiple fine stitches.
Visual recovery may take six month or longer after surgery.
Lamellar Keratoplasty
Anterior lamellar keratoplasty is indicated in disease affecting only the anterior part of the cornea such as corneal scars,
keratoconus or corneal degeneration. Only the anterior part of the cornea is removed and replaced with the donated cornea.
As the posterior layer of cornea remains intact, there are fewer chance of intra-operative and post-operative complications
such as iris and lens injury, corneal graft rejection and failure secondary to endothelial dysfunction.
The surgery is technically demanding and may not be able to complete.
Conversion into conventional penetrating keratoplasty may be required in this situation.
Endothelial Keartoplasty
The surgery replaces only the thin posterior layer, the endothelium of cornea.
It is indicated for diseases with corneal endothelial failure like Fuch’s endothelial dystrophy or pseudophakic bullous keratopathy.
Recovery is faster and visual outcome is better than penetrating keratoplasty.
Chance of rejection is less.
Paediatric Keratoplasty
Cornea transplant in children is a high-risk surgery as compared to adult.
It is indicated in diseases such as congenital corneal dystrophy, trauma or infection.
Post-operative monitoring is difficult especially for younger age.
Graft rejection rate is high.
Keratoprothesis
Keratoprotheiss is the artificial cornea transplant.
It is an option for patient with multiple failed corneal transplant or with poor ocular surface such as chemical burn and some autoimmune diseases.
The opacified cornea is replaced by an clear artificial cornea.