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Corneal transplant cost in Egypt — 2026 prices
DMEK, DSAEK, DALK, or PKP — Dr. Ahmed Shaarawy will recommend the right technique and quote an all-in USD price. Internationally certified donor tissue, AAO-published surgeon, Devers Eye Institute fellowship, 5,000+ corneal procedures. Get a personalized estimate in 60 seconds.
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Get a personalized USD estimate in under two minutes — no obligation.
We'll automatically suggest the most appropriate technique.
AAO-published surgeon — corneal-transplant research presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Editors' Choice surgical video for Graft Exchange DALK)
Devers Eye Institute fellowship — Portland, Oregon, under Prof. Mark A. Terry, co-developer of modern DMEK and DSAEK
First S-DMEK in Egypt and the Arab region — pioneering single-stripped Descemet membrane technique
Internationally certified eye-bank donor tissue (VisionGift / Saving Sight in the US, European banks for select cases) — full chain-of-custody documentation
All-inclusive prices in USD: donor tissue, surgeon, OR, anesthesia, and week-1 medications. EGP equivalents at the April 2026 exchange rate (~49 EGP/USD).
Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty
≈ EGP 137,000–186,000
Procedure: 10–30 min
Recovery: 2–4 weeks
Best for: Fuchs' dystrophy · failed endothelium
Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty
≈ EGP 147,000–196,000
Procedure: 10–30 min
Recovery: 4–8 weeks
Best for: Endothelial disease · technically difficult DMEK cases
Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty
≈ EGP 122,000–171,000
Procedure: 30–40 min
Recovery: 6–12 months
Best for: Keratoconus · superficial scars · healthy endothelium
Penetrating keratoplasty (full-thickness)
≈ EGP 147,000–220,000
Procedure: 20–30 min
Recovery: 12–18 months
Best for: Advanced scars · late-stage keratoconus · failed prior grafts
| Technique | USD (all-in) | ≈ EGP | Procedure time | Recovery | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most modern DMEK Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty | $2,800–3,800 | EGP 137,000–186,000 | 10–30 min | 2–4 weeks | Fuchs' dystrophy · failed endothelium |
| Reliable workhorse DSAEK Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty | $3,000–4,000 | EGP 147,000–196,000 | 10–30 min | 4–8 weeks | Endothelial disease · technically difficult DMEK cases |
| Lowest rejection risk DALK Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty | $2,500–3,500 | EGP 122,000–171,000 | 30–40 min | 6–12 months | Keratoconus · superficial scars · healthy endothelium |
| Full-thickness PKP Penetrating keratoplasty (full-thickness) | $3,000–4,500 | EGP 147,000–220,000 | 20–30 min | 12–18 months | Advanced scars · late-stage keratoconus · failed prior grafts |
* USD prices are quoted directly. EGP shown at ~49 EGP/USD (April 2026).
Donor corneal tissue
From internationally certified eye banks — tissue cost is 30–40% of the all-in price
Surgeon fee
Dr. Shaarawy — full surgical planning, execution, and post-op management
OR & facility fee
Accredited surgical center with modern visualisation and femtosecond laser equipment
Anesthesia
Topical / local or general — selected per case and patient preference
Week-1 medications
Steroid drops to prevent rejection, antibiotic, and lubricants for the first post-op week
First follow-up visits
Day-after exam plus the week-1 check before international patients fly home
Hotel and visa support for international patients
Flights to Cairo
Long-term anti-rejection drops (months 2–12)
Follow-up visits at month 3, 6, and 12 (most patients move these to local ophthalmologist)
Glasses or contact lenses after recovery for residual refractive error
Re-grafting fees in the rare event of rejection (insurance-eligible in many cases)
Medical-tourism package
International patients (Gulf, Iraq, Libya, Europe): ask about our all-in package — surgery + 7-night partner-hotel stay + airport transfers. Quoted on request via WhatsApp.
Same internationally certified donor tissue. Same surgical techniques. AAO-published surgeon trained at the Devers Eye Institute. A fraction of the cost.
| Cairo Dr. Shaarawy | UK | W. Europe | Turkey | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMEK | $2,800–$3,800 | $10,000–$15,000 | $8,000–$12,000 | $4,500–$6,000 |
| DSAEK | $3,000–$4,000 | $9,000–$13,000 | $7,500–$11,000 | $4,500–$6,500 |
| DALK | $2,500–$3,500 | $10,000–$14,000 | $8,500–$12,000 | $4,000–$5,500 |
| PKP | $3,000–$4,500 | $10,000–$14,000 | $8,000–$12,000 | $5,000–$7,000 |
| AAO-published surgeon | Yes — Dr. Shaarawy | Top centers only | Top centers only | Rare |
| First S-DMEK in MENA | Yes — Dr. Shaarawy | n/a | n/a | No |
| Avg. stay required | 7–14 days | n/a (local) | 10–14 days | 7–14 days |
Cairo prices are typically 60–75% lower than UK and Western Europe — for the same donor tissue, the same techniques, and a Devers-trained surgeon.
Dr. Ahmed Shaarawy completed a research and clinical fellowship in cornea and refractive surgery at the Devers Eye Institute in Portland, Oregon — under Prof. Mark A. Terry, a co-developer of modern endothelial keratoplasty. He has published corneal-transplant research at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (including an Editors' Choice surgical video for his Graft Exchange DALK technique), performed thousands of corneal procedures, and was the first surgeon to perform S-DMEK in Egypt and the wider Arab region.
When you choose corneal transplant in Cairo, you're not trading down on expertise or donor-tissue quality — you're paying Egyptian operating costs for a Western-trained surgeon using internationally certified tissue. That's the only thing that's different.
Corneal transplant with Dr. Ahmed Shaarawy ranges from $2,500 to $4,500 USD depending on technique: DALK $2,500–$3,500, DMEK $2,800–$3,800, DSAEK $3,000–$4,000, and PKP $3,000–$4,500. The price is all-inclusive — donor tissue from an internationally certified eye bank, surgeon fee, OR fee, anesthesia, week-1 medications, and the first follow-up visits. Final pricing is confirmed after your topography, OCT, and corneal exam.
Lower clinic operating and staff costs in Egypt — not lower clinical standards. We use the same imported tissue sources (VisionGift / Saving Sight in the US, European eye banks for select cases), the same surgical instruments, and the same techniques as any major Western center. Dr. Shaarawy was personally trained at Devers Eye Institute in Portland, Oregon under Prof. Mark A. Terry — co-developer of modern DMEK and DSAEK. You're paying Egyptian operating costs for Western-standard surgery.
Included: donor tissue (with full chain-of-custody documentation), surgeon fee, OR & facility fee, anesthesia (topical / local / general per case), all medications during the first post-op week, day-1 and week-1 follow-up visits. Not included: hotel, flights, visa support, anti-rejection drops past month 1, follow-ups beyond week 1, and any second-stage cataract surgery if needed later. Everything is disclosed in writing before your procedure.
DMEK / DSAEK: 7–10 days minimum — eyes need close monitoring and head-down positioning during the first week. DALK / PKP: 10–14 days. After that, follow-up moves to your local ophthalmologist with our written protocol — most international patients only return for the 1, 3, 6, and 12-month checks (and many simply send images for review).
DMEK ($2,800–$3,800) replaces only the thinnest layer (Descemet membrane + endothelium) — fastest recovery, best vision, used for Fuchs' dystrophy. DSAEK ($3,000–$4,000) replaces a slightly thicker endothelial layer — easier to handle for complex cases. DALK ($2,500–$3,500) replaces only the front layers and preserves the patient's own endothelium — lowest rejection risk, ideal for keratoconus. PKP ($3,000–$4,500) is a full-thickness graft — used when the entire cornea is damaged. Cost is driven by tissue cost, technical difficulty, and OR time — not the price tag.
Repeat keratoplasty cases are technically more demanding and the cost is at the higher end of the range ($4,000–$5,500). Dr. Shaarawy has performed many revision cases, including the Graft Exchange DALK technique he developed (an AAO Editors' Choice surgical video). Send your topography, OCT, and surgical history via WhatsApp — we'll respond with a personalized plan and quote.
Some Gulf and international insurance plans cover keratoplasty when there's a documented medical need (Fuchs' dystrophy, failed prior graft, advanced keratoconus). Egyptian state insurance does not typically cover treatment in private specialty clinics. We provide detailed medical documentation including ICD-10 codes, surgical reports, and itemized cost breakdowns to support insurance submissions — but plan to pay out-of-pocket as the safer assumption.
International patients (Gulf, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Europe): the surgery itself is $2,500–$4,500. Add 7–10 nights at a partner hotel close to the clinic ($600–$1,200), airport transfers ($100), and one companion's stay if needed. End-to-end (surgery + accommodation + transfers, excluding flights): typically $4,000–$6,500 for endothelial keratoplasty, $4,500–$7,000 for full-thickness PKP. Quoted on request via WhatsApp with hotel options.
Send your topography, OCT, and surgical history on WhatsApp and we'll come back with a personalized USD quote, the recommended technique, and a suggested travel window — usually within a few hours.