Corneal Transplant Surgery In Delhi

Corneal transplantation (keratoplasty) replaces a diseased or scarred cornea with healthy donor tissue from a deceased human donor. It is one of the oldest, most studied, and most successful organ transplant procedures in medicine — with 5-year graft survival rates of 70–95% depending on the technique and indication. At Netram, we are fellowship-trained in corneal surgery and offer the full range of modern lamellar and full-thickness techniques.

PK (Penetrating Keratoplasty) replaces all five layers of the cornea and is used when disease affects all layers. DALK (Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty) replaces only the front 95% and preserves the patient's own endothelium — eliminating endothelial rejection risk. Best for keratoconus and stromal scars. DSAEK replaces only the innermost endothelial layer through a tiny incision — best for Fuchs' dystrophy and bullous keratopathy. The right choice depends entirely on which corneal layers are diseased in your eye.

No — corneal tissue does not require blood group or HLA matching. This is one of the unique immunological privileges of the cornea, which lacks blood vessels. Donor tissue is screened for infectious diseases (HIV, Hepatitis B and C, syphilis) and evaluated for endothelial cell quality, but no blood type compatibility is needed.

Recovery depends entirely on the technique. DSAEK patients often notice improvement within 1–3 months and reach stable vision at 3–6 months. DALK patients typically see gradual improvement over 6–12 months, with final acuity stabilising at 12–18 months after suture removal. PK patients have the longest recovery — 12–18 months. Glasses or rigid contact lenses are often needed after surgery to optimise final corrected visual acuity.

Rejection occurs when the immune system recognises the donor cornea as foreign and attacks it. Warning signs are the RSVP symptoms: Redness, Sensitivity to light, Vision deterioration, and Pain. If you experience any of these, contact us the same day — early treatment with intensive steroid drops reverses most rejection episodes. Prevention requires lifelong topical steroid drops (on a slow taper), protecting the eye from injury, and immediate reporting of any red eye or vision change. Never stop your drops without consulting your surgeon.

Topical steroid drops are the cornerstone of rejection prophylaxis after keratoplasty. After PK and DSAEK, steroids are continued long-term — often for years — on a very slow taper. After DALK, the taper may be faster since endothelial rejection is not a risk. Antibiotic drops are used for the first 4–6 weeks post-operatively. Your drop schedule will be tailored based on your specific procedure and graft health at follow-up visits.

Rigid gas-permeable (RGP) or scleral contact lenses are often the best way to optimise vision after PK and DALK — where post-operative astigmatism is common. Soft contact lenses are generally not effective on an irregular post-keratoplasty cornea. Lens fitting after corneal transplantation requires specialist expertise. We provide corneal topography-guided contact lens fitting at Netram. After DSAEK, soft or toric soft lenses may be sufficient as astigmatism is minimal.

Our current pricing: DALK — ₹1,00,000 per eye. DSAEK — ₹1,02,000 per eye. Penetrating Keratoplasty (PK) — ₹60,000 per eye. Keratoplasty with Glaucoma Surgery — ₹75,000 per eye. Keratoplasty with Cataract Surgery (Triple Procedure) — ₹75,000 per eye. These prices are for the surgical procedure. Donor tissue (eye bank), consumables, and post-operative medications are additional. Cashless insurance and EMI options are available. Please contact us for a personalised cost estimate.

A failed graft can often be treated with a repeat transplantation (regraft). DSAEK failure (endothelial) can be managed with re-DSAEK or DMEK. DALK failure due to endothelial decompensation can be managed with DSAEK, preserving the previously transplanted anterior donor stroma. Regraft surgery carries a higher rejection risk than primary grafts, and outcomes vary based on the cause of failure and the state of the eye. We manage complex regraft cases at Netram.

Eye donation in India is a simple, noble act that can restore vision for two people. You can pledge your eyes through the National Eye Bank at any time during your life. After death, the family must call the eye bank within 6 hours. Eyes are harvested at home or at the hospital — no disfigurement. The face looks completely normal. For eye bank contact in Delhi, call AIIMS Eye Bank or the local NOTTO-registered eye bank. At Netram, we can connect you with the process. One pair of eyes can give sight to two people — please consider this gift.