History of Lamellar Keratoplasty

The history of corneal transplantation can be traced as far back as the second century AD when the Greek physician Galen (130–200 AD) proposed abrasio cor’naea (precursor of superficial keratectomy) as a means of restoring corneal transparency [1]. From then to the seventeenth century can be called “the Dark Ages” of corneal transplantation when there were no reports regarding any significant progress as far as corneal experimentation and research are concerned. In the eighteenth century, the French surgeon Guillame Pellier de Quengsy published a monograph where he suggested that an opaque cornea could be replaced by a transparent material to restore vision [2]. From then till date, corneal transplantation has undergone major changes in both principles and techniques.