Corneal transplantation

Transplantation is indicated by an ophthalmologist upon an eye examination, most often in cases where the cornea is poorly transparent and its condition cannot be cured with special drops.

There are two types of human corneal transplants. The first is the so-called penetrating when the cornea is transplanted in its entire thickness. The second type is a lamellar transplant, where only some layers of the cornea are transplanted. Lamellar transplants are a modern trend because they preserve part of the original cornea, provide faster visual rehabilitation, and lower transplant rejection risk. In 2004, Dr. Pavel Stodůlka was one of the first surgeons in the world to perform endothelial transplantation using the DMEK method. This method is performed in the Czech Republic only at a few workplaces and also at the Gemini Eye Clinic. The procedure is outpatient and without the need for general anesthesia.

Artificial cornea of the Boston type

Mrs. Charvátová from Vsetín became the first patient in the Czech Republic with an artificial cornea of the Boston type in 2008. She had gone blind after an eye inflammation and had been blind for 16 long years. After many years after the operation, when she saw her husband, it was an unforgettable moment for everyone present. Since the artificial cornea implantation, she can see well, is entirely independent of glasses, and even reads without them. Over the years, Dr. Stodůlka has implanted an artificial cornea to dozens of patients.

A typical indication for the implantation of an artificial cornea is, for example, the eye after severe burns with lime or another chemical. However, the procedure cannot be performed on people who are blind from birth, nor on those who have become blind, for example, as a result of glaucoma or diabetes. The artificial cornea cannot help patients with damaged optic nerve or retina.