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Dr. Price is now pioneering a new cornea transplant technique that replaces only the damaged cell layer instead of replacing the entire thickness of the cornea. With this new technique, known as Descemet's Membrane Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMAEK), the cornea heals much faster and stronger and the patient's visual recovery is better.
Descemets Membrane Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMAEK) is the newest surgical procedure in the Cornea-Sparing family of transplants. As with DSAEK, only the damaged cell layer is replaced. What is different is that with DMAEK, the donor tissue used is only one cell layer in thickness. The goal of the thinner donor tissue is to provide even better vision post-operatively.
Advantages of DMAEK as compared to PKP are:
- The eye is left much stronger and more resistant to injury.
- There is minimal change in refractive error because the patient's cornea is essentially intact.
- Suture-related problems can be eliminated Visual recovery is significantly faster and better.
- Posterior lamellar grafting with Descemet's stripping offers patients better visual recovery and a less protracted clinical course than standard PKP.
- It is a great alternative for younger, more active patients bothered by glare and blurring from guttata or for the elderly who dread the long and involved postoperative course of standard PKP.
