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Descemet's Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK)
Dr. Dean Ouano of the Coastal Eye Clinic was one of the first eye surgeons in eastern North Carolina to perform a new form of corneal transplant surgery called Descemet’s Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty or DSAEK.
Cornea
The cornea is the clear and transparent layer in front of the eye. Swelling or “edema” of the cornea can occur in patients with Fuchs’ corneal dystrophy or after cataract surgery.
The DSAEK procedure can restore vision for patients with swelling or edema of the cornea.
Conventional Corneal Transplants
Traditional corneal transplants (also known as penetrating keratoplasty) involve removal of a full thickness layer of the cornea, and suturing of the donor cornea with delicate stitches. Healing is often slow, and full visual recovery is delayed by wound healing and high degrees of astigmatism. The stitches remain in the eye for up to 1-2 years in a traditional corneal transplant.
Descemet’s Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK)
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The advantages of DSAEK:
- No stitches are used on the cornea.
- A smaller wound size reduces astigmatism and the speeds the recovery of vision.
- The structural integrity of the cornea is stronger than conventional corneal transplants, and the eyes are less vulnerable to trauma.
If you are interested in DSAEK, please contact the Coastal Eye Clinic or your eye care professional for a referral.
In DSAEK surgery, Dr. Ouano makes a ¼ inch incision just outside the cornea. The damaged or diseased layer in back of the cornea is stripped away and replaced with a disc shaped layer of healthy donor corneal cells. Unlike other surgical facilities, “pre-cut” donor corneas for DSEK are not used. Instead, Dr. Ouano prepares the DSEK donor within minutes of surgery with microsurgical instrumentation, a process that may improve the chances of donor cell survivability. The donor cornea is only slight thicker than a human hair.
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