Risks

Cornea transplant is relatively safe. Still, it does carry a small risk of serious complications, such as:

• Eye infection
• Pressure increase within the eyeball (glaucoma)
• Problems with the stitches used to secure the donor cornea
• Rejection of the donor cornea
• Bleeding
• Retinal problems, such as retinal detachment or swelling

Signs and symptoms of cornea rejection

Your body's immune system can mistakenly attack the donor cornea. This is called rejection, and it might require medical treatment or another cornea transplant.

Make an urgent appointment with your eye doctor if you notice signs and symptoms of rejection, such as:

• Loss of vision
• Eye pain
• Red eyes
• Sensitivity to light

Rejection occurs in about 10% of cornea transplants.