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During keratoplasty, an ophthalmologic surgeon replaces the affected cornea with an artificial or donor implant. It is indicated in cases of traumas and burns of the cornea, keratoconus, keratitis, and other pathologies of the eye. Every year, about 70,000 such surgeries are performed worldwide. The success rate in leading ophthalmology centres is as high as 95%. Learn from the MediGlobus article where corneal transplants are performed best abroad and how much it costs.
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Benefits of corneal transplants abroad
All types of corneal transplants, such as endothelial keratoplasty, Cross-Linking, penetrating keratoplasty, etc., are available in ophthalmology centres in Turkey, Israel, Germany and other countries with advanced medicine. Each patient is offered the most effective cornea transplant that will improve and maintain visual acuity for years to come.
Rapid search for cornea donors is another advantage of foreign ophthalmology centres. Leading medical centres in this field cooperate with national and international eye tissue donor databases. Patients do not have to wait in line for months to receive material for transplantation. There is usually a waiting time of 4-5 days.
For keratoplasty foreign clinics employ the latest generation of laser equipment, powerful microscopes, diamond scalpels, etc. This minimises the traumatic nature of the surgery and the likelihood of complications such as infection, bleeding and rejection of the graft.
Thanks to state-of-the-art vision care technology and highly qualified international ophthalmologists, 95% of corneal transplants are successful abroad.
The maximum effect of keratoplasty is reached after 6 months. In foreign clinics, the first results are seen after 8-16 hours.
To travel abroad for a cornea transplant, please contact the coordinating doctors at MediGlobus. We will help you choose the right clinic and doctor.
Corneal transplant costs in Turkey
The cost of keratoplasty in Turkish clinics is 30-50% lower than in similar European or American medical centres. The approximate cost of this procedure in Turkey is as follows:
| Procedure | Cost |
|---|---|
| Keratoplasty with donor material | from $8,000 |
| An artificial corneal transplant | from $10,000 |
Turkish clinics perform corneal transplants using both penetrating and lamellar techniques. The first option is more traumatic, so it is restricted to cases of total corneal damage. Penetrating keratoplasty involves the removal of the entire cornea and its subsequent replacement with a donor or artificial implant. The grafted material is sutured with self-absorbable threads, eliminating the need for sutures.
Lamellar keratoplasty involves replacing only part of the cornea tissue. This technique includes deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) and Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK). These surgeries are performed using laser equipment. The postoperative recovery time is about 2 months.
In Turkey, a high success rate of keratoplasty is demonstrated by Medicana clinics and Batıgöz Ophthalmology Centre.
The implant survival rate of donor corneas in these medical institutions is 92-95%.
Sign up for keratoplasty in Turkey
Price of corneal transplants in Germany
By European standards, the cost of keratoplasty in German clinics is on an average level. The price of this surgery is based on several criteria: type of disease and its complexity, method of cornea replacement, the material used and doctor’s qualification.
| Procedure | Cost |
|---|---|
| Keratoplasty with donor cornea | from €13,000 |
| Corneal transplant | from €17,000 |
Every year, more than 7,000 corneal transplants are performed in Germany. In the developing countries the figure averages about 1,000 interventions. German doctors prefer lamellar keratoplasty.
This type of transplantation is distinguished by the good survival rate of donor tissues and reduced period of rehabilitation. Thanks to this technique, 9 out of 10 patients regain or improve their vision.
Foreigners choose the Spreebogen Eye Center and the University Hospital of Cologne for keratoplasty in Germany.
The Spreebogen Clinic is home to the world-renowned ophthalmologist Prof. Manfred Tetz. He has performed more than 100,000 ophthalmic operations. The doctor has over 30 years of experience.
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Corneal transplant price in Israel
In Israel, the price-quality ratio for keratoplasty is at an optimum level. The approximate cost of a corneal transplant in Israeli clinics is:
| Procedure | Cost |
|---|---|
| Keratoplasty with donor cornea | from $12,000 |
| An artificial corneal transplant | from $15,000 |
More than 70% of keratoplasties in Israel are performed using minimally invasive techniques. The surgery takes 1-2 hours. The damaged cornea is replaced with donor tissue or artificial implants. Donor material is obtained in Israeli clinics from the USA.
Corneal transplantation is performed in Israel for foreign patients from Ichilov and Sheba hospitals, where the leading keratoplasty specialists, Professor Anat Levinstein and Professor Joseph Moiseev, practise.
They are ophthalmologists with 30 years of experience, who have a unique technique of corneal transplantation without stitches. Surgeons remove damaged cells of the back layer of cornea tissue through a 2mm incision and transplant a donor cornea in its place. After the procedure, the vision is restored in a matter of weeks rather than months.
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Price comparison of corneal transplants abroad
| Procedure |  Turkey |  Germany |  Israel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Кератопластика | from $8,000 | from €13,000 | up to $12,000 |
Patient testimonial of corneal transplant abroad
Hospital: Batıgöz
Procedure: Keratoplasty
Patient’s age: 45 years
Patient from: Odessa
Sergey: “After reading a lot of reviews about corneal transplantation abroad, I decided to have this surgery. I chose Turkey as the country of my choice. Medical coordinators of Mediglobus helped me to choose a clinic. I went to Batıgöz Ophthalmology Centre. They organised my pick up and transfer from the airport to the hospital. Honestly, the attitude of the staff was very warm and welcoming. Not to be compared to our tired nurses who are waiting for the end of the day and rest as soon as possible. In Turkey, everything is of the highest standard. As for the cornea transplant surgery, I can say one thing – I am more than happy with the result. I had a penetrating cornea transplant. It was done under general anaesthesia, so there was no pain. The doctor completely removed my cornea and replaced it with a donor cornea. It took about two hours for all these manipulations. I wore a patch for 2 days after the surgery. I felt a bit of burning sensation in my operated eye. The doctor examined me and prescribed drops. The discomfort disappeared but my eye was red and sensitive to light for a long time. My vision began to improve in 3 weeks after the treatment. I am still recovering, but my vision is clearer than before the cornea transplant”.
Resume
Keratoplasty is one of the most successful procedures in allogeneic transplantation. Internationally, in advanced ophthalmology centres, complete engraftment of the transplanted cornea tissue is achieved in 95% of cases.
About 70,000 corneal transplants are performed worldwide each year. The leaders in this field are Turkey, Israel and Germany.
The price of a cornea transplant in Turkey starts at $8,000. Batıgöz Ophthalmological Centre and Medicana clinics are considered priority centres for foreign patients requiring keratoplasty.
The initial cost of corneal transplantation in Germany is €13,000. Medical tourists most often come to the University Hospital of Cologne and the Spreebogen Clinic for this procedure.
The approximate price of keratoplasty in Israel is €12,000. The most common procedures are the Ichilov and Sheba clinics.
To go for a cornea transplant abroad, click on the button below and leave your contact details. Our coordinators will call you back as soon as possible to help you arrange treatment.
