EC Ophthalmology

Review Article Volume 15 Issue 5 - 2024

Keratoplasty: The Progress from Penetrating to Cellular Transplants - Short Review

Martyna Dydyk1, Ewa Sikorska2, Piotr Sikorski1, Robert Tomaszewski1 and Dorota Kopacz3*

1Student Research Club at the Department of Ophthalmology, Infant Jesus Teaching Hospital, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
2Chair and Department of Experimental and Clinical Physiology, Center for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
3Department of Ophthalmology, Infant Jesus Teaching Hospital, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland

*Corresponding Author: Dorota Kopacz, Department of Ophthalmology, Infant Jesus Teaching Hospital, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
Received: March 11, 2024; Published: April 26, 2024




The cornea is a transparent membrane that acts as a protective barrier to the eye and refracts light. Corneal disorders (diseases, dystrophies, degenerations, injuries) can lead to a loss of translucency. Corneal opacity is a one of major causes of blindness, affecting approximately 6 million people worldwide. For patients with corneal blindness, the only method of regaining vision is corneal transplantation (keratoplasty). Keratoplasty has evolved to include various methods such as penetrating keratoplasty (PK), anterior lamellar keratoplasty (ALK), and posterior/endothelial keratoplasty (PK/EK). Lamellar keratoplasty has gained popularity due to its improved outcomes and reduced risks compared to penetrating keratoplasty. Modern keratoplasty benefits from additional tools like optical coherence tomography and femtosecond lasers, which enhance surgical precision and decision-making. Future for corneal disease treatment assumes partial EK, Descemet membrane endothelial transfer, descemetorhexis stripping without endothelial keratoplasty, using ROCK inhibitors, cell therapy, tissue engineering grafts, stem cells and combination of all of them. Further studies are necessary to confirm advantages of those trends.

Keywords: Cornea; Corneal Transplantation; Keratoplasty; Corneal Grafting

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Dorota Kopacz., et al. "Keratoplasty: The Progress from Penetrating to Cellular Transplants - Short Review." EC Ophthalmology 15.5 (2024): 01-10.

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