Cornea service

There are many different conditions that can affect the front part of the eye. The conjunctiva (skin covering the eye), the cornea (clear window at the front of the eye) and the sclera (the white coat of the eye) can all be damaged by disease. Some of these conditions cause pain, some can reduce the vision, and all of these are seen in the Cornea Clinic.

What happens in the cornea clinic?

Your vision will be tested by our specialist nurses. You may also need special measurements to be taken of your eye to measure the shape of the front of your eye (corneal tomography) – this is similar to having a photograph taken.

Depending on your condition, some patients are seen by the doctor, some by the contact lens practitioner, others by the specialist nurses, or a combination of these. You will sometimes need to have eye drops that can leave your vision blurred for a few hours afterwards, so you should not drive yourself home from the clinic.

You may be prescribed eye drops or other medication for your condition. These will be explained to you by the doctor or nurse.

Cornea Transplantation

If the clear window (cornea) of your eye becomes cloudy, your vision will become blurred. Sometimes surgery can be necessary to restore vision. A corneal transplant (also called a corneal graft or keratoplasty), is an operation to replace this cloudy cornea with a clear one. Various types of corneal transplant are available at James Paget University Hospital.

Endothelial corneal transplantation (DSEK)

We are proud to be the first centre in Norfolk to offer the latest modern technique of lamellar endothelial transplant – this is a new ‘small incision’ technique for some types of corneal disease.