Graft done!

[magictime]

Well, it's done (yesterday) and I'm back home.

Noit quite what I expected - no real sign of the much-discussed light senstivity; I was expecting to be given some dark glasses but wasn't, and haven't really wanted any.

Pretty sore now - don't know if it's the drops (which I only started today) or just the fact that I've had my eyes open for much longer periods (yesterday I kept them closed most of the time), but it's definitely moved on from aching to stinging. Not too bad though considering - I seem to remember RGPs felt much the same after a few hours when I tried them! (But of course I could take them out when I got fed up!)

Anyway, surgery went well - they managed to do a DALK (90% thickness), which they planned but didn't guarantee cos they said sometimes it just doesn't work and they have to go full-thickness. So that makes rejection that much less likely I guess.

Just keeping my fingers crossed there are no complications... back in next week for follow-up.

[space_cadet]

I hope that the lack of photosensitivity holds off for you,and that you recover well from your t/plant.

keep us informed with your progress

Lea
xox

[Andrew MacLean]

well done magictime. Yes a DALK does make rejection very much less likely. I have had one of each (my first set out to be a DALK but changed onto a PK), and my second was a DALK. The cornea they grafted into my second eye had its own epithelium, so part of the healing process that others go through was spared me.

Do keep us in touch with your progress, and do take things easy during the first weeks.

Every good wish.

Andrew

[magictime]

Thanks guys.

Lea, sorry to hear about all the hassles you've been having lately - sounds absolutely miserable. Hope they get you back on track with this next surgery.

[Richard In Wales]

DALK PK ?

[Andrew MacLean]

Different sorts of transplant. The PK is sometimes called 'full thickness' graft. The donor's full cornea is transplanted onto the host eye: endothelium, stroma and epithelium. The DALK is sometimes called 'partial thickness': the host's own endothelium is left in place and the endothelial cells are 'peeled' from the donated tissue.

Most surgeons in the UK will set out to perform a DALK, but if the host endothelium is not healthy and clear they will switch to a PK.

Andrew

PK = Penetrating Keratoplasty
DALK = Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty