Ophthalmology
Starting from
$2,000
Up to $17,600 depending on centre
Typical duration
10–21 days
Including pre-operative work-up
Partner hospitals
1
Vetted for outcome data & accreditation
Content reviewed for medical accuracy by: Dr. Rodina Ainasoa · Medical Content Writer & Health Communications
Corneal transplantation replaces diseased or damaged corneal tissue to restore clarity and vision in conditions like keratoconus, corneal scarring, and endothelial failure. Selective lamellar techniques (DALK, DSEK, DMEK) preserve healthy tissue and offer faster recovery than full-thickness grafts.
Your case is matched to a centre on the basis of clinical outcome data, not marketing. We coordinate every step — from pre-operative work-up to post-treatment follow-up — with a dedicated care coordinator.
Corneal Transplant (Ophthalmic)
Coordinated from
or message us on WhatsApp
No commitment required. Your data is never shared with third parties.
Corneal transplants either replace the full thickness of the cornea (penetrating keratoplasty, PK) or replace only the diseased layer while preserving healthy tissue (lamellar techniques — DALK for the front layers, DSAEK/DMEK for the back endothelial layer). The right choice depends on which corneal layers are damaged.
| Parameter | Full-Thickness (PK) | Partial-Thickness (DALK / DSAEK / DMEK) |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The entire thickness of the diseased cornea is removed and replaced with a full-thickness donor graft, secured with sutures, per the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). | Only the damaged corneal layer is replaced — DALK removes the front layers while preserving the patient's own healthy endothelium; DSAEK/DMEK replace only the back endothelial layer, per the AAO. |
| Setting & anaesthesia | Performed in an operating theatre; many patients go home the same day after a short stay in the recovery area, per Cleveland Clinic. | Also performed as outpatient or short-stay surgery; DMEK/DSAEK typically involve smaller incisions than PK. |
| Visual recovery | Slowest to reach stable best-corrected vision — a ten-year outcomes study found a median time of 37.9 months to reach 6/12 vision or better, and Cleveland Clinic notes full recovery of eyesight can take up to a year. | Faster visual recovery — the same ten-year outcomes study found a median time to reach 6/12 vision or better of 7.8 months for DMEK and 12.4 months for DSAEK. |
| Graft rejection risk (10-year) | 13% cumulative rejection rate at 10 years in the same study. | DMEK had the lowest rejection rate of the three techniques compared (10% at 10 years), while DSAEK was higher (19%); DALK removes the endothelium-rejection risk entirely because the patient's own endothelium is preserved. |
| Long-term graft survival | Despite slower recovery and a mid-range rejection rate, PK showed the highest 10-year graft survival of the three techniques compared (92%) in the same study. | DMEK and DSAEK showed lower 10-year graft survival (75% and 73% respectively) than PK in the same study, despite their faster recovery and generally lower rejection rates. |
The steps below describe the general corneal transplant process. The specific technique — full-thickness PK or a partial-thickness lamellar approach — is chosen based on which corneal layers are affected by your condition (see comparison above).
Pre-operative evaluation
Corneal topography, pachymetry, and specular microscopy (endothelial cell count) map the health and shape of your cornea to confirm your candidacy and the most suitable technique.
Donor tissue matching
Donor corneal tissue is sourced from an accredited eye bank meeting international medical standards, such as those set by the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA); EBAA standards call for a preservation time of 11 days or less before use.
Removal and replacement of corneal tissue
Depending on the chosen technique, either the full thickness of the diseased cornea or only the affected layer is removed and replaced with the donor tissue; a full-thickness graft is fastened with very small sutures, per Cleveland Clinic.
Recovery room monitoring
You are monitored as the anaesthesia wears off, with a follow-up examination typically scheduled for the next day for outpatient cases, per Cleveland Clinic.
Most corneal transplants are done on an outpatient basis; you go home after a short stay in the recovery area, with a follow-up exam typically the next day, per Cleveland Clinic.
You will use prescribed eye drops for several months to support healing and prevent infection and rejection, and should avoid touching or rubbing the eye, per Cleveland Clinic.
Lamellar endothelial techniques recover faster — a ten-year outcomes study found a median time to reach 6/12 vision or better of 7.8 months for DMEK and 12.4 months for DSAEK.
Full-thickness PK recovers more slowly: Cleveland Clinic notes full recovery of eyesight can take up to a year and sutures are usually left in place for several months at minimum before your surgeon judges it safe to remove them; the same ten-year outcomes study found a median time of 37.9 months to reach 6/12 vision or better after PK.
Source: Cleveland Clinic; American Academy of Ophthalmology; ten-year outcomes study on DMEK, DSAEK, and PK (PMC). Individual recovery varies and is guided by your surgical team.
Known Risks & Limitations
Source: NCBI/StatPearls (Corneal Graft Rejection); ten-year outcomes study on DMEK, DSAEK, and PK (PMC). No procedure is without risk; your surgical team will review your individual risk factors.
Remote clinical review
Share your corneal imaging (topography, pachymetry, endothelial cell count) and diagnosis. Our coordination team forwards your case to a corneal specialist to confirm the most suitable technique for your condition.
Donor tissue & clinic matching
Your partner centre checks donor corneal tissue availability at an accredited eye bank before your estimate is finalised, so your travel can be scheduled with confidence.
Consolidated estimate
A cost estimate covering the procedure, donor tissue and processing fees, anaesthesia, and initial follow-up is issued before you travel, based on the recommended technique.
Surgery & short-stay recovery
Most corneal transplants are outpatient or brief-stay procedures, with your care team monitoring healing and scheduling slit-lamp follow-up exams before you are cleared to travel home.
Continuity of care post-return
A treatment summary — including the technique used, suture management plan, and a rejection-warning-signs protocol — is shared with your home ophthalmologist for ongoing monitoring.
Average coordinated costs across our partner centres. Final pricing depends on clinical complexity and chosen hospital.
| Country | Avg. cost | vs. cheapest |
|---|---|---|
🇮🇳 India New Delhi · Chennai · Bengaluru · Hyderabad · Mumbai · Kochi | $3,000 | —chevron_right |
🇹🇷 Turkey Istanbul | $6,000 | +100%chevron_right |
🇹🇭 Thailand Bangkok · Phuket · Chiang Mai | $14,000 | +367%chevron_right |
Costs are indicative estimates and vary by procedure specifics, hospital, and clinical complexity. Request a personalised estimate for your specific case.
This treatment category covers several different operations with different levels of invasiveness, recovery times, and costs. The country averages above blend all of them together — use the breakdown below for a more realistic, procedure-specific estimate.
A partial-thickness graft that replaces only the diseased outer and middle layers of the cornea while preserving the patient's own healthy inner endothelial layer. It's the preferred approach for keratoconus and corneal scarring that spares the endothelium, since keeping the patient's own endothelium largely removes the risk of endothelial rejection.
Typical recovery · 6–12 months
Performed under local or general anesthesia as a day case or short inpatient stay; vision improves gradually over several months as sutures are progressively removed, with full visual stabilisation typically taking 6–12 months. Because the patient's own endothelium is retained, the risk of graft rejection is lower than with a full-thickness transplant, though a fine interface haze or a rare intraoperative conversion to a full-thickness graft can occur.
India
$2,500–$5,500
Turkey
$4,000–$8,000
Thailand
Estimate pending verification — ask your care coordinator for a current quote
A thin donor graft consisting of the innermost endothelial cell layer (with or without a thin layer of supporting tissue) is inserted through a small incision to replace only the failed endothelium, most commonly for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy or bullous keratopathy. DMEK transplants an even thinner, single-layer graft than DSEK, generally giving faster and more complete visual recovery.
Typical recovery · 1–3 months
A same-day or overnight procedure; patients are typically asked to lie flat for part of the first day or two so an air or gas bubble holds the new graft in place while it adheres. Most visual recovery occurs within 1–3 months — notably faster than full-thickness grafts — though the graft can detach and need an additional air injection ("rebubbling"), and endothelial rejection, while less common than after penetrating keratoplasty, remains a lifelong risk requiring ongoing eye-drop use and monitoring.
India
$3,500–$7,000
Turkey
$5,000–$9,000
Thailand
Estimate pending verification — ask your care coordinator for a current quote
The traditional full-thickness corneal transplant, in which a circular button of all corneal layers is removed and replaced with a matching donor button sutured into place. It remains necessary for severe corneal scarring, perforation, irregular corneas, or cases where a lamellar (partial-thickness) approach isn't suitable.
Typical recovery · 6–18 months
Performed under general or local anesthesia with an overnight or short hospital stay; sutures typically stay in place for many months to over a year and are removed gradually as the eye heals, with vision continuing to change until they're fully out. Recovery is the longest of the three techniques, and because all corneal layers (including the endothelium) come from the donor, the risk of graft rejection is highest — patients need long-term anti-rejection eye drops and regular follow-up, and rejection episodes can occur even years after surgery.
India
$2,000–$4,500
Turkey
$3,000–$6,500
Thailand
$8,000–$14,000
Cost ranges are indicative estimates for international patients and vary with implant choice, number of levels treated, surgeon, and hospital. Request a personalised quote for your specific case.
Clinical detail: AAOS OrthoInfo, Mayo Clinic Health System, Cleveland Clinic. Cost ranges cross-checked across multiple independent medical-tourism sources per country where marked; ranges flagged "pending verification" could not be independently confirmed at the time of writing.
Faridabad, India
Asia's largest private hospital — 2,600 beds, 64 operation theatres, 81 specialties on a 130-acre campus in Delhi NCR. NABH & NABL accredited. Centres of excellence in oncology, cardiac surgery, BMT, organ transplantation, neurosciences, and IVF.
800+
Specialists
2,600+
Beds
Partner centres source tissue from accredited eye banks adhering to international standards (EBAA/Eye Bank Association equivalent). Tissue availability varies by country — India and Thailand typically have shorter wait times (1–4 weeks for most lamellar procedures). For DALK in keratoconus where the endothelium is preserved, donor tissue requirements are less restrictive and often available sooner. We check tissue availability before scheduling your travel.
No fees. No commitment.
We are compensated by our partner hospitals — never by patients. You get independent clinical matching, cost transparency, and end-to-end coordination at no cost to you.
