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Ophthalmic Freebie

Glaucoma accounts for 10% of blindness in the U.S. But because there often are no warning symptoms, half of the nearly 3 million Americans with glaucoma go undiagnosed until it is too late.

If you lack health insurance, you may be eligible for a free eye exam through the Eye Care America program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

To learn more, call:

1-800-391-3937 or go to:

www.eyecareamerica.org

  

Topics > Corneal Conditions > Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK)

 

Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK)

A new technique being used in some types of cornea transplants means a shorter recovery time for patients and may lead to even better vision after surgery. The advance could make it possible for eye specialists to offer cornea transplants to visually impaired patients in Third World countries and other areas where such procedures have previously been impractical.

 

The technique, known as Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK), allows surgeons to remove a much smaller portion of the patient's cornea compared with older methods of transplantation. Standard human cornea transplants involve removal of the full thickness of the patient's cornea and replacement with full thickness donor tissue. In the newer method, surgeons remove only the diseased layer of cells at the back of the cornea and replace it with a similar amount of donor tissue. Doing so helps to retain the structural integrity and mechanical strength of the eye, and typically means a shorter recovery period for the patient.

 

 

Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK)

 

 

Approximately 35,000 cornea transplants are performed each year in the U.S. Use of the DSEK technique is limited to patients with damage to the endothelial area of the cornea, which accounts for about two-thirds of these cases.

 

The cornea is comprised of several layers, including Descemet's membrane and the endothelium. Descemet's membrane is a thin layer that supports endothelial cells on the back of the cornea. The endothelium, comprised of endothelial cells, is the delicate back portion of the cornea that manages fluid content within the corneal structure.

 

In a DSEK procedure, the surgeon removes the inner-most layer of the endothelium along with Descemet's membrane. That section is then replaced with a delicate healthy layer of donated human cornea tissue. Using specialized tools, the new tissue is positioned into the cornea. The new tissue heals without sutures.