Question

A cornea transplant involves the grafting of a donor cornea into a recipient’s anterior eye. The sutures to hold the graft in place must stay in place for a long period of time because the cornea is slow to heal. Explain why the healing process is so slow.

Answer 1

Answer: The cornea is avascular.

Explanation:

The cornea can be defined as the clear front membrane on the surface of eyeball. It lies in the front of the iris and pupil. It allows the light to enter the eye. A cornea transplant is recommended in patients who suffer from vision problems due to thinning of cornea, keratoconus, loss of vision and cloudiness of cornea.

It takes about 2 to 3 months to recover after surgery. The healing is slow because the cornea is avascular. The tissue of cornea does not provide blood vessels to deliver nutrients and oxygen which could aid in speedy recovery.