What is corneal transplant rejection?
After a patient has had a corneal transplant, in which tissue from a donor eye is placed or sewn into the eye, the body’s immune system can recognise the tissue as foreign and may start a reaction against it. This reaction, known as corneal transplant rejection, can usually be controlled if it is discovered early enough.
A patient with a corneal transplant rejection may experience discomfort or pain in the eye, redness, blurred vision and watering.
The seriousness of such a rejection depends on the type of transplant that was carried out. If it was a full-thickness transplant, rejection is likely to involve the deepest layer of the donor cornea, known as the endothelial layer. As the functioning of this tissue keeps the cornea clear, a rejection of this layer must be treated quickly and thoroughly if the sight of the eye is to be saved.
How is corneal transplant rejection managed?
The optometrist who diagnoses a corneal transplant rejection will refer the patient to the ophthalmologist as an emergency. This will allow treatment of the inflammation with steroid and other drugs to begin as soon as possible.
