Treatment of Corneal Disease

Guthrie Specialty Eye Care’s team of ophthalmologists and optometrists diagnose and treat a wide variety of diseases and conditions affecting the cornea, from dry eye to more complex issues.

Many corneal issues can be treated with prescription eye drops or pills. For more advanced corneal disease, surgery or another procedure may be necessary.

Cornea Transplant

If damage to your cornea can’t be repaired, your eye doctor can remove the damaged part and replace it with healthy tissue. Guthrie surgeons offers transplant options such as:

  • Penetrating Keratoplasty (PK) is a full replacement of the cornea’s three layers, using your own tissue.
  • Anterior lamellar keratoplasty (ALK) is a less invasive procedure that replaces the front part of the cornea with tissue from a donor.
  • Descemet’s Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty is a less invasive procedure that replaces the inner layer of the cornea with tissue from a donor.

You and your ophthalmologist will discuss the options and determine which transplant option is best for you. 

Treatment of Dry Eye

Dry eye happens when your eyes don’t make enough tears. It is uncomfortable and can make it difficult to see.

Guthrie’s Specialty Eye Care Team offers many treatment options for dry eyes:

  • Steroid medications.
  • Prescription eye drops that help your eyes make more tears.
  • Punctal occlusion is a procedure to place plugs in your tear ducts. These tear duct plugs stop your tears from draining from your eyes too quickly.

You and your eye doctor will discuss the options and determine which treatment is best for your dry eyes.

Specialized Contacts for Cornea Issues

People with certain corneal conditions can have a hard time wearing contacts. Guthrie optometrists are specially trained to fit patients with severe cornea issues for special contacts called scleral contacts.

Scleral contacts are larger than traditional contacts and cover more of the eye, so they are less likely to become dislodged. Scleral contacts can help people with misshaped corneas and those with dry eyes.  

Making an Appointment

Guthrie’s cornea specialists welcome patients at locations in Corning, Sayre and Binghamton. Make an appointment by calling 800-4-SIGHT-2 (800-474-4482).