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Deep Lamellar Endothelial Keratoplasty (DLEK)
In DLEK, Dr. Snyder removes only the diseased endothelial tissue and replaces that endothelial tissue rather than removing the entire cornea. Fuchs’ corneal endothelial dystrophy is the most common condition that would likely benefit from this procedure, because the patient usually has a healthy cornea other than the endothelium.
Specifically, Dr. Snyder makes a 9.0mm limbal incision in the white portion of your eye (sclera) that allows him to create a deep lamellar corneal pocket; no surface corneal incisions or sutures are necessary. He removes the (7.5-8.0mm) diseased tissue through that pocket, then replaces it with the same amount of healthy endothelial tissue. A temporary air bubble in the anterior chamber holds the new tissue in place.
Clinical trial of this procedure show that at 6 and 12 months after surgery found that DLEK preserves the normal corneal topography, minimizes astigmatism and corneal power changes, and provides a healthy donor endothelial cell count and function
Specifically, DLEK allows transplantation of the diseased portion of the cornea only and allows a potentially more rapid recovery with less post-operative problems. Dr. Snyder believes it is also safer than a corneal transplant, because there are no incisions or sutures over the corneal surface.
If you need a corneal transplant and are interested in getting more information on this new procedure schedule an evaluation with Dr. Snyder. He will be happy to discuss your options and make recommendation to best treat your particular problem.
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