Historical view on the development and modern possibilities of keratoplasty (literature review)

Aksenova S. V., Vаsilyeva O. A., Matyaeva A. D.

Blindness due to corneal abnormalities is one of the main causes of reversible blindness that can be treated with keratoplasty. This is the most successful organ transplant in the human body, since the cornea is devoid of the vasculature, which minimizes the risk of transplant rejection. The first successful transplant was performed in 1905 and since then corneal transplant has undergone significant changes. This has been made possible by the tireless efforts of researchers and increased knowledge of corneal anatomy, improved instruments and technological advances. Keratoplasty has come a long way from the first operations, when the entire thickness of the cornea was replaced, to the present day, when only a single affected layer can be transplanted.

Keywords:cornea, keratoplasty, graft.