20/11/2025
Revisiting Anterior Corneal Transplantation
Surgeons share their evolving approaches to DALK, SALK, Bowman’s layer grafts and emerging techniques that preserve host tissue and reduce rejection.
Albert Y. Cheung, MD, a corneal specialist at Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, Virginia, says he is a big proponent of DALK. “Compared to penetrating keratoplasty, it offers so many advantages. The biggest one is that you maintain the endothelial layer, which is often the most consequential in terms of rejection risk. Preserving this layer helps prolong the longevity of the graft. Endothelial rejection is typically the most severe and hardest to reverse. It’s also the most common reason for graft failure. So especially in younger patients—where you’re hoping to get more than the average 10 years out of a graft—DALK can offer a better long-term outcome.”
Read more: https://www.reviewofophthalmology.com/article/revisiting-anterior-corneal-transplantation
