CORNEA SURGERY:
DSAEK Surgery
Dr. Ching Li, a specialist in
ophthalmology, is offering a new procedure to improve vision
for patients whose corneas have become misshaped because of
disease, injury or heredity. The procedure is conducted at
Saint John's Surgery Center.
Dr. Li explained that the cornea is a transparent dome on
the front of the eye. "It's the body's front window, which
needs to be clear for good vision."
One option for correcting a corneal problem is to replace
the whole thickness of the cornea.
A new procedure, DSAEK (Descemet's Stripping Automated
Endothelial Keratoplasty), involves replacing only the
endothelial layer of cells. The DSAEK procedure is performed
through a small incision on the side of the eye. The inner
layer of the cornea is removed and a thin piece of donor
corneal tissue containing the endothelial cells is
positioned in its place. This tissue adheres to the back
surface of the old cornea without stitches.
The advantages of DSAEK are that extensive stitching of the
cornea is not required and the eye heals more quickly. In
addition, the surgery is safer, as the new cornea is
inserted through a small incision rather than completely
opening the front part of the eye. Using a small incision
also reduces the risk of a hemorrhage during the surgery or
infection afterward.
For information about DSAEK, call 646-6043.
|
