Corneal Transplant Cost and Financing Options

Our corneas are an important part of our eyes because they help us see, but if they become damaged — whether due to illness or injury — they may need to be replaced using a corneal transplant. In the U.S. each year, doctors perform 47,000 corneal transplants.¹ Most corneal transplant surgeries are quite successful and help restore people's vision.

Below we dive into the cost of a corneal transplant, if insurance covers the procedure and how financing can help.

What Is a Corneal Transplant?

A corneal transplant, also known as keratoplasty, is a surgical procedure performed by ophthalmologists that replaces the cornea, the transparent layer of tissue on the front of the eye that focuses light so we can see clearly.

Corneal transplant surgery can help restore clear vision, reduce pain and improve the appearance of a diseased or damaged cornea.² Those who need a corneal transplant may suffer from conditions that affect the cornea, including:³

• An injured cornea
• An infected cornea
• Corneal ulcers
• Severe dry eye
• Fuchs' dystrophy
• Keratoconus
• Keratitis
• Bullous keratopathy
• Corneal degeneration

How Does a Corneal Transplant Work?

During the procedure, the surgeon will remove diseased or damaged cornea tissue and replace it with healthy corneal donor tissue from an organ donor. After surgery, you'll need to protect your eye from injury.

Vision is usually blurred directly after the procedure and gradually improves over time. It can take from a few weeks to up to a year to heal after having cornea replacement surgery.¹ During this time, you'll have to visit your doctor as directed until the eye heals completely.³

Unlike organ transplants, corneal transplants don't require tissue matching, and corneas are readily available in the United States — so waiting lists are generally not long.³

How Much Does Corneal Transplant Surgery Cost?

The cost of corneal transplant surgery ranges between $13,000 for an outpatient procedure and $28,000 for an in-hospital procedure for patients without insurance.⁴

Most corneal transplants tend to be done in an outpatient center and average between $3,900 and $16,800.⁵

Like all tissue transplant surgeries, corneal transplants can be complicated, requiring the expertise of many, including the surgical team, the hospital or surgical center and the donor bank. These factors will cause costs to vary depending on your specific situation.

There are also several types of corneal transplant surgeries to consider, including:

• Endothelial keratoplasty⁶
• Penetrating keratoplasty⁶
• Anterior lamellar keratoplasty³

Each of these procedures range between $9,000 and $10,000 if performed in an outpatient surgical center.¹

Endothelial keratoplasty

Endothelial keratoplasty involves the removal of the inner endothelial tissue of the cornea.¹ There are two types of endothelial keratoplasty that vary slightly:

• Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty. During this procedure, a patient's Descemet membrane (DM) and endothelium are replaced by a donor's DM and endothelium.⁷
• Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty. During this procedure, a patient's DM and endothelium are replaced with donor DM, endothelium and the section of the cornea known as the posterior stroma.⁷

Your doctor will replace the damaged endothelial tissue with donor tissue during each of these types of procedures and graft it in place using an air bubble. This is considered a partial corneal transplant that is less invasive than a full transplant.

Typically, you can expect to pay around $9,300 per eye for an endothelial keratoplasty of either type.¹

Penetrating keratoplasty

For patients with a completely damaged cornea, a full corneal transplant may be recommended.

A penetrating keratoplasty replaces the entire cornea with donor tissue. The average price for a penetrating keratoplasty is around $10,239 per eye.¹

Anterior lamellar keratoplasty (ALK)

This type of corneal transplant is also referred to as deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK).⁸ During an anterior lamellar keratoplasty, a surgeon will remove the central and front tissue of the cornea, replacing it with donor tissue.

This cost for anterior lamellar keratoplasty averages around $9,042 per eye.¹

Are Corneal Transplants Covered by Insurance?

A corneal transplant is usually covered by private medical insurance and Medicare when deemed medically necessary by your doctor. Out-of-pocket costs may include a specialty copay, a hospital copay and coinsurance of 10% to 50% for the procedure up to the yearly out-of-pocket maximum allowance.⁴

Cost of a corneal transplant without insurance

The cost of a corneal transplant without insurance can cost between $3,900 and $28,000, depending on whether you have it in an outpatient center or a hospital.⁴ Prices can also vary by facility.⁵ Note that some facilities may offer a small discount of 10% to 30% for those without insurance.⁹

Cost of a corneal transplant with insurance

Your vision plan may pay for some or all of your surgical costs, not including your copay and your coinsurance costs, along with your deductible. For example, if your surgery is $10,000 with a 20% coinsurance cost and a $1,500 deductible, your costs would average around $3,500 plus any additional copay your insurance may add on.¹⁰

How to Pay for a Corneal Transplant

If you need corneal transplant surgery and don't have private medical insurance or Medicare, or if you need a way to pay for copays, deductibles or other out-of-pocket costs, there are several payment options you can consider.

• Cash or savings. If you have the funds readily available, use them to pay for your corneal transplant.
• Health savings or flexible spending account. You may be able to use a tax-free Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to pay for the corneal transplant procedure.
• General purpose credit cards or the CareCredit credit card. Almost all providers accept general purpose credit cards and many accept the CareCredit credit card, which may be a convenient way to pay for the procedure.

Corneal Transplant Alternatives

There are alternatives to a corneal transplant for you to consider. These include laser surgery to repair the cornea and an artificial cornea. Each comes with some pros and cons.

Laser cornea repair

For some patients, a phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) can repair the existing cornea without a transplant. This type of surgery involves the use of a laser and UV light to reshape and also repair the damaged cornea. On average, expect to pay around $4,400 per eye for laser cornea repair,¹¹ a similar cost to other types of laser eye surgeries like photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).¹²

Artificial cornea implantation

In some cases, a keratoprosthesis (or artificial cornea) is used instead of donor tissue and surgically implanted into the eye. For this type of surgery, expect to pay upwards of $55,000, which is much more than a traditional corneal transplant.¹³

Corneal cross-linking

This is a minimally invasive procedure that helps to strengthen the cornea by creating new links between collagen fibers within it. The procedure involves the use of vitamin B eye drops and UV light. Some types of this surgery may involve the removal of the outer layer of the cornea, also known as the epithelium. Costs range from $2,500 to $4,000 per eye.¹⁴

Corneal transplant vs. alternatives

Unlike a donor cornea, the implantation of an artificial cornea reduces the risk of the body rejecting the donor tissue.¹³ Cornea repair or cross-linking also won't involve the use of donor tissue, reducing this risk as well.¹⁴

However, cornea repair may not be an option for all patients and may only postpone corneal transplant surgery for some. An artificial cornea is usually only used for patients who may be at risk of their bodies rejecting a donor cornea or whose bodies have rejected a previous donor transplant.¹³

For procedures like corneal cross-linking, they may only work for certain eye conditions like keratoconus and those with a weakened cornea.¹⁴

CareCredit Financing for Corneal Transplant Surgery

Whether you're needing corneal transplant surgery or getting an eye exam, the CareCredit credit card can help you pay for care where your insurance leaves off.* Apply today and use our Acceptance Locator to find a vision specialist near you that accepts CareCredit. Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your account, find a provider on the go, and easily access the Well U hub for more great articles, podcasts, and videos.

Author Bio

Susan Paretts is a freelance writer with 18 years of experience covering health and wellness, pet care, and more. Her work has been published by the American Kennel Club, Bayer Animal Health, Elanco, LIVESTRONG.com, The San Francisco Chronicle, Chewy, and more.