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Corneal injury, disease or hereditary conditions can cause clouding, distortion and scarring on the cornea, the clear front window of the eye. Corneal clouding, looks like frost on a windowpane and blocks the clear passage of light to the back of the eye, reducing sight. In addition, corneal injury and disease can be painful, sometimes the most intense pain experienced.
If the cornea becomes cloudy, the only way to restore sight is to replace or transplant the cornea. Fortunately, corneal transplantation or keratoplasty, is the most successful of all tissue transplants.
Corneal tissue for transplant comes from an eye bank. Names of patients needing corneal transplants are placed on a waiting list until tissue becomes available from corneal donors. The operation consists of a transfer of the clear central part of the cornea from the donor's eye to the patient's eye. Soon after the operation, the patient can walk about and resume activity. Return of best vision after corneal transplant surgery may take up to a year after the operation, depending on the rate of healing and the health of the rest of the eye.
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