In Professor Ahmed El-Moatassem’s centers between Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the UAE, the performe of corneal transplant operation is carried out in Egypt with the utmost accuracy and efficiency, using the latest technologies, in addition to that, the doctor supervises the import of the best appropriate types of cornea for patient, and we will now together learn about the cost of corneal transplantation, types of corneal transplantation, and the reasons for corneal transplantation.

Corneal transplant operation with the best cornea doctor in egypt

What is the cornea?

The cornea is the transparent outer layer at the front of the eye, and acts as a window through which the colored iris and the pupil can be seen (the black dot in the center of the iris).

The cornea focuses light rays on the retina in the back part of the eye, then this image is transmitted to the vision centers of the brain, and the image appears clearly.

When the cornea is damaged, it becomes less transparent and may change shape; At a result, light is prevented from reaching the retina, causing the transported image to be distorted or not clear.

One of the most common diseases of the cornea is keratoconus, and the best treatment for keratoconus is partial corneal transplantation.

What is keratoconus?

Keratoconus disease is a change in the spherical shape of the eye. Where it happens a thinning (decreas in the thickness) in the center of the cornea and increas its convexity outward, giving it a conical shape known as keratoconus disease.

thinning we mentioned affects the mesenchymal layer of the cornea. it’s as we mentioned, is the thickest layer of the cornea. Keratoconus disease begins to appear in the teenage years. but the diagnosis of injury is usually delayed until after the age of 20.

Here, it is necessary to talk with Dr. Ahmed El-Moatassem about finding solutions to this problem. And about the possibility of performing a corneal transplant in his advanced centers between Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the UAE.

Reasons for corneal transplant

considered as Corneal transplantation is one of the most popular eye surgeries operation, also called corneal patching, and it is called keratoplasty.

and it’s a Surgical intervention to remove all or part of the damaged cornea and replace it with intact one from a recently deceased donor.

The damaged cornea causes distortion of vision and changes to the light rays that pass through it, so the doctor resorts to surgical intervention Procedure to solve several eye problems, including:

• Corneal scars or ulcers as a result of injury or infection.
• Corneal swelling due to a medical condition such as keratoconus.
• Some problems that may be caused by previous eye operations.
• Hereditary eye diseases such as Fuchs’ dystrophy.

Types of corneal transplant

There are many types of corneal transplantation in Egypt, and Dr Ahmed Al-Moatasem – the best cornea doctor in egypt – performs the necessary examinations and determines the appropriate type for each case. and among these types are:

Penetrating keratoplasty PKP

The doctor approves Penetrating keratoplasty  when it is necessary to replace all layers of the cornea, and often the person with a serious injury to the cornea or has bad swelling and scarring, in which the entire thickness of the cornea is replaced with a new one, and the new cornea is sewn on the eye with stitches thinner than hair, and the  The patient may needs a longer recovery time in this case.

Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty DALK

The surgeon replaces the outer and middle layers only of the cornea in this type of surgical intervention. The doctor injects air to raise and separate the outer and middle layers of the cornea, removes them and then replaces them with intact ones from a donor. Usually the patient needs this type in the case of keratoconus transplantation; and it’s a pathological condition in which the normal shape of the cornea changes from round to conical.

As a result, vision changes occur, and its treatment may be a new corneal transplant or the implantation of keratoconus rings. and these rings are annular clips that are installed and inserted into the cornea, to adjust its conical shape, which contributes to the correct focus of light; and vision improving, and recovery time in this species is usually shorter than in Full thickness corneal transplant.

Endothelial keratoplasty EK

the deep (back) layers of the cornea only are replaced in this type of surgery, and the doctor often resorts to it to help Fox’s patient, and this type is divided into:

Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty DSEK or DSAEK

A stripped endothelial corneal transplant is the most common type of endothelial cornea transplant, in which the surgeon removes the endothelial membrane only one cell thick plus the Desemite membrane above it, then replaces them with the endothelial membrane and the Desemite membrane, which are tightly attached to the stroma. (the thickened middle stratum corneum layer) to help it deal with new tissue without damaging it.

Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty DMEK

Dr. Ahmed Al-Moatasem, “the best cornea doctor in egypt”, performs this type of transplantation of the endothelial membrane and Descemet’s membrane only without the support of the stroma, in which the donor tissue is very thin, fragile and difficult to deal with, but the recovery of this type is usually faster, and sometimes the vision is after  Corneal transplant is slightly better in this type.

Corneal transplantation using stem cells

Corneal transplantation experiments using stem cells have been conducted in the United States, by replacing damaged cells with healthy ones, which leads to an improvement in visual acuity, but this method is still under study.

Pre-operative procedures

There are some procedures to be taken before the operation Procedure , which include:

• Prof. Ahmed Al-Moatasem will perform a general examination and order some laboratory tests to ensure that the patient is in good general health.
• The patient may have to stop some medications, such as aspirin, two weeks before the operation.
• The doctor will prescribe some antibiotic drops the day before the operation in order to prevent any bacterial eye infection.

Is corneal transplant successful?

Yes, the success rate of corneal transplantation is very high, and this process usually works without complications for up to 10 years approximately, but in the end it is a surgical operation and may cause some complications.

Corneal transplant complications

Although corneal patching process is a fairly safe procedure; Except that there are some complications associated with it, including The body’s rejection of the transplanted cornea.

  Some of the other side effects of corneal transplantation are:

• Infection occurring.
• bleeding.
• High pressure in the eye, or so-called glaucoma.
• The appearance of a cloud over the eye lens (cataract).
• Corneal swelling.
• Retinal detachment is when the inner back surface of the eye is moved away from its normal position.

Signs of the body rejecting the new cornea

It is considered a failure rate of corneal transplantation is very low, occurring in approximately 10% of corneal grafts operations.

and it happens in this, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the donor’s cornea, causing the body to reject the transplanted cornea.
and it may require medical treatment or other corneal transplantation determined by Prof. Ahmed Al-Mutassim, so it is must to see a doctor if you notice any of these signs, which include:

• vision loss.
• eye pain.
• eye redness.
• the photosensitivity.

How long does a corneal transplant process take?

Usually the duration of the corneal transplant process is less than an hour, and the matter varies from case to case, either the person leaves the hospital on the same day, or stays for the next day, and the patient is given a sedative to help on relaxing and a local anesthetic to numb the eye, or the patient is subjected to anesthesia  Total, in both cases, the patient does not feel pain.

When does vision improve after corneal transplantation?

Improvement of vision appears after corneal transplantation for a period of up to several months and the matter varies from case to case, vision may be worse at first than it was before surgery, as the eye needs some time to adapt to the new cornea, And that’s after you’ve healed outer layer of the cornea has healed  Several weeks or months after surgery.

and the ophthalmologist may make some adjustments to improve vision, such as:

• Correcting asymmetry in the cornea, or what is known as astigmatism, as the stitches that hold the new cornea in place may cause some scratches, making vision blurry.

  But Dr. Ahmed Al-Moatasem can easily correct this problem by taking out some stitches and tightening the others stitches.

• Correct vision problems such as refractive errors such as nearsightedness and farsightedness, and can be corrected with using glasses and contact lenses, or in some cases, laser eye surgery.

Tips after corneal transplant operation

There are several tips that the patient should follow after corneal transplantation, and some taboo after corneal transplantation, and the doctor will clarify them after the operation finished, which are:

• Regular use of eye drops and sometimes oral medications to control infection, swelling and pain.
• The necessity of adhering to the eye drops prescribed by the doctor; because they suppress the immune system and reduce the chances of the body rejecting the transplanted cornea.
• Dr. Ahmed El-Moatassem will advise you to wear eye protection such as glasses to protect your eyes during the recovery period after the corneal transplant operation.
• Lie on the back according to the type of implant and not prostrate after the cornea transplant, for a period after surgery to help the new tissues stay in place.
• Avoid harm to the eye, and try to calm yourself down after the corneal transplant.
• Never put pressure on your eyes.
• It’s must to make regular follow-up visits to Dr. Ahmed Al-Mutassim to follow up on the condition and monitor the progress.

How much does a corneal transplant cost in Egypt?

The cost of a corneal transplant in Egypt ranges from 30 thousand to 40 thousand Egyptian pounds, but this price is variable, the price of corneal transplant in Egypt and the cost of corneal rings transplant in Egypt may vary according to several factors, it is a process that requires several expensive equipment so The cost of corneal transplantation is affected by the following:

• Importing the cornea from abroad, whether from the United States of America or from Europe.
• Shipping and storage conditions.
• The type of surgery and technique used.
• The doctor’s practical experience and skill.
• The level of the hospital in which this operation is performed, the degree of sterilization and cleanliness.
• Actions that take place before the operation.
• The type of rings used in keratoconus implants in Egypt.
• cornea source and quality; as does the doctor, Ahmed El-Moatassem, supervises the import and guaranteeing the quality provided.

Ahmed El Moatasem is the best cornea doctor in egypt.

Keratoconus treatment requires a great deal of experience from the surgeon. it first needs to establish a sure diagnosis of the condition, determine its precisely stage, and choose the optimal treatment solution according to what the doctor sees. and these challenges require a specialized surgeon with great experience in the field of keratoconus treatment.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Moatasem comes at the forefront of qualified ophthalmologists in the treatment of keratoconus, and is referred to by everyone, whether doctors or patients, as the best doctor for keratoconus treatment in Egypt and the most experienced in performing keratoconus fixation operation.

The experience and competence of the doctor came as a result of many factors, including:

• His great interest in his work and his eagerness to the patient’s comfort.
• Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
• Member of the International Society of Corrective Surgery.
• Member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in San Francisco.
• Professor of ophthalmology at one of the most prestigious universities, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University.
• More than 20 years of experience in the treatment of keratoconus.
• Dr. Ahmed El-Moatassem has the latest technology and medical equipment in his center.