DSAEK (DSEK) or endothelial keratoplasty

What is Corneal Edema?

Corneal edema is a swelling of the cornea, the clear dome at the front of the eye. The cornea works with the lens to refract light and help the eye to focus. When the cornea swells, it is often because of a problem with the endothelial layer of the cornea. The endothelial layer makes up the inner layer of the cornea and consists of a network of cells, endothelium. The endothelium pump fluid in and out of the cornea to maintain its clarity. These cells can be damaged by both trauma and disease. Once these cells are damaged, they cannot repair or replace themselves. The result is corneal edema, which causes clouding of the cornea and blurred vision. At the Fifth Avenue Eye Center, Dr. Ilan Cohen can diagnose corneal edema with a detailed eye examination.

DSAEK vs. Corneal Graft:

The only way to fix the endothelial layer of the cornea is to replace it. It the past, this required a full-thickness corneal transplant, or corneal graft. The entire cornea was removed and replaced with donor corneal tissue from an eye bank. Today, a newer, less invasive procedure is available. A Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK or DSEK), also known as a partial-thickness corneal transplant, is an alternative to the corneal graft. This procedure involves replacing only the thin endothelial layer of the cornea with donor endothelial tissue. With an experienced surgeon like Dr. Ilan Cohen, the procedure takes less than 30 minutes, requires only a small incision, heals faster and vision returns sooner (a matter of weeks).There is also less risk of rejection because the majority of the cornea remains in place. Contact the Fifth Avenue Eye Center to learn more about DSAEK.