Current Trends in Endothelial Keratoplasty

Human cornea is the anterior transparent layer of the eye globe. It is an avascular tissue that is directly exposed to the external environment. Cornea focuses the surrounding image by refracting the light through a crystalline lens to the retina. Therefore, its clarity should be well maintained for optimal visibility [1]. Cornea is a multilayered tissue and each layer has its own specificity. The endothelium that is the posterior monolayer is responsible for maintaining the required transparency of the cornea. Trans-membrane ion channels of the corneal endothelium are responsible for pumping the water, ions and solutes out of the cornea [2]. However, if the corneal endothelium is damaged then it leads to increased water content in the cornea further inducing oedema and hence opacity which is responsible for corneal blindness [3]. In general, human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs) maintain the transparency and thickness of the cornea [4].