The cornea is a critical part of the eye that is responsible for a large portion of our vision. When the cornea is damaged from injury or disease it can cause decreased visual acuity or sometimes even blindness.
It is very important to wear protective eyewear in various activities to prevent corneal injury. Many chemicals and sharp objects can cause severe damage to the cornea.
Sometimes a disease or degeneration affects the cornea. There are many different corneal diseases. Some are due to bacterial, fungal or viral infections. The aging process can also affect the cornea. Corneal disease can also be inherited.
When the cornea becomes very damaged a corneal transplant may be done to help restore some sight. Once a person finds out that they need a corneal transplant, they must be put on the waiting list for corneal tissue. The amount of time a person is on the list can vary.
When the corneal transplant is finished it can take up to a year to know how much vision has been regained. Sometimes corneal rejection can happen, as with any kind of transplant. Signs of rejection may be redness, or decrease in vision.
