Keratoplasty: a historical perspective

Replacement of the dysfunctional cornea was an idea originating in the 18th century. The 19th century was a period of intense experimentation with various forms of keratoplasty. This work bore fruits in the early 1900s when the successful penetrating homograft was realized. Since that time, advances in surgical techniques and method of tissue preservation, as well as a greater appreciation of corneal immunobiology, have made keratoplasty a readily available surgical alternative.