The cornea press: restoring donor corneas to normal dimensions and hydration before cryolathing

The shaping of swollen, abnormally hydrated donor corneal tissue on the cryolathe for use in keratorefractive surgery yields lenticules of insufficiently predictable dioptric powers. The irregular nature of this abnormal hydration precludes the use of mathematical compensating factors. To improve control over the shape of the lenticule, we have developed a cornea press which restores normal hydration and dimensions to the donor tissue by mechanical dehydration.