International Patient Enquiries |
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Treatment for Corneal Problems
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 A corneal transplant involves replacing a cornea that is cloudy (usually due to ageing) or scarred (from injuries or infections) with a donor cornea to restore vision. Sometimes, a cataract (again, usually due to ageing) is also removed at the time of corneal transplantation, and an intraocular lens is placed to allow for good vision.
Lamellar refers to lamellae, or layers (of the cornea). In certain instances, when the cornea is not diseased through its whole thickness, only the diseased portion, or layer, is partially dissected away, and a partial thickness donor cornea is placed. This is known as a Lamellar Keratoplasty (LK). This newer technique has fewer side eff ects, less risk of rejection and longer graft survival rates.
Due to the complexity of this procedure, only very few transplant centres offer this form of surgery, and SNEC is one of the few centres in the region performing this form of surgery. About 20% of transplants we perform are lamellar grafts.
Less commonly, corneal transplants can be done on an urgent basis to treat severe infections of the cornea, or to “patch up” severe thinning, defects or perforations in the cornea or sclera (white part of the eye) due to previous injury, infl ammation or infections.
All corneal transplants require the patient to have a healthy nerve and retina in the back of the eye. |
Our treatment centre
Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) |
The SNEC Advantage
Depth of Experience
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| The SNEC Corneal Transplantation Programme works in close collaboration with the Singapore Eye Bank, which makes available a large number of high quality donor corneas each year for transplants. Under this programme, the SNEC performs over 150 transplants a year. |
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Advanced Techniques
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| We are also one of the leading transplant centres in the world that off ers new advanced LK techniques, stem cell transplants and Osteo-Odonto Keratoprosthesis (OOKP) Surgery, a radical and probably the most complex eye operation today. |
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New Technologies
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| Our new technologies include human amniotic membrane transplantation, human ocular stem cell culturing and transplantation, and the development of the Artificial Cornea including the latest OOKP Surgery, commonly known as “tooth-in-eye” surgery and used for severe end-stage corneal diseases. |
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High Success Rate
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| Overall, the success rate of corneal transplants performed at SNEC exceeds 90%. Our success rate for a normal-routine transplant is about 90% in the first year (most complications, if any, occur within the first year of the transplant). The success rate for lamellar transplants are close to 100% due to the fact that transplantation rejection risks are virtually zero with this form of transplantation. |
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Internationally-accredited Eye Bank
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| All corneas transplanted at our centre are of excellent quality and come from Singapore Eye Bank (SEB), which get corneas from local donors and internationally-accredited eye banks in the US. The average wait for a donor cornea is one or two weeks. Donor corneas are available to Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans undergoing corneal transplants in Singapore. |
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Other Ophthalmology Procedures
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Call our 24-hr hotline:
+65 6326 5656 |
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