Penetrating Keratoplasty replaces the entire thickness of the cornea, the right choice for deep central scarring, severe infectious sequelae, advanced keratoconus with central thinning, and failed prior transplants. We do PKP only when DALK or DMEK aren't feasible. From $3,000.
Why choose us
Trained in advanced keratoplasty under Prof. Mark A. Terry, same protocols you'd find at any major US cornea center.
Smart Splash and Graft Exchange DALK, both featured as AAO Editors' Choice surgical videos. We re-graft failed transplants regularly.
DALK preserves your endothelium and lowers rejection risk. We commit to PKP only when DALK isn't anatomically feasible.
Donor tissue imported from VisionGift / Saving Sight (USA) with full chain-of-custody documentation. ≤48h sourcing.
Letter of recommendation
Excerpts from the letter Prof. Mark A. Terry, Director of Corneal Services at the Devers Eye Institute, wrote for Dr. Shaarawy on 25 January 2015, at the end of his time in Portland.
Tripoli, March 2022
Visiting surgeon for the programme the Libyan Ministry of Health launched at Tripoli University Hospital: about 20 corneal transplants in one week, restarting the surgery there after a pause of nearly eight years.
The full story and sourcesCorneal transplant map
Choose what matches your case
Scarring in the front layers, with the inner endothelial layer still healthy
Only the damaged front layers are replaced. Your own endothelium stays where it is, and that is the layer rejection usually targets.
Endothelial disease, so the cornea holds water and vision is foggiest after waking
The pump layer at the back is what failed, so only that thin sheet is exchanged and the rest of your cornea is left alone.
Damage or scarring through every layer, or a previous graft that failed
When no healthy layer is left to build on, the cornea is replaced through its full thickness.
This is an orientation guide. Your corneal exam (topography, Pentacam and anterior OCT) decides which graft fits, not this guide.
Book a corneal examFifteen days after a full-thickness corneal transplant, a patient from Al-Arish talks about the fear he had before surgery and how much easier he feels now.
"I was afraid the night before the operation, I was hesitant too, at my age."
A patient from Saudi Arabia who works in the medical field. A full-thickness transplant done elsewhere had failed, so Dr. Ahmed Shaarawy repeated it. About six months on, with the stitches still in, his vision with glasses is 6/9 and his astigmatism only 3 diopters.
"Thank God, it was really excellent, and I felt reassured from the first step to the last."
Jamal, from Bahrain, two weeks after a repeat full-thickness corneal transplant, after more than eighteen years of corneal disease and a first operation that failed.
"I was afraid and hesitant, because the old transplant had left me frustrated and hopeless."
Procedures & pricing
Final cost is set after clinical examination. Local-currency equivalents available on request. Insurance reports issued for international patients.
| Procedure | Best for | From (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| PKP (standard) | Conventional full-thickness transplant | $3,000 |
| PKP + cataract (triple) | Combined with phaco + IOL | $3,400 |
| PKP after a failed transplant | Repeat transplant after rejection or decompensation, quoted case-by-case | $3,000 |
A real patient story: from diagnosis to restored vision after corneal transplantation.
Common questions
Pick a day and time. The first visit is an eye exam with Dr. Ahmed Shaarawy, who tells you which option suits your eyes.
Recent topography, OCT, and any prior surgical history are enough to start. We'll respond within 24 hours with whether DMEK / DSAEK / DALK / PKP is the right choice for your eye, the all-in cost, and a travel plan.
