UC Davis Health System's cornea and external disease service in the Department of Ophthalmology provides consultation to Northern Californians for medical and surgical management of the full range of routine, complex and high-risk corneal and outer eye diseases.

Corneas can be damaged through inflammation, degeneration, heredity, allergies, infections, injuries and dystrophies. Depending on the nature and severity of the disorder, treatments may range from lifestyle adjustments, such as eliminating allergens, visual aids and medications, to refractive surgeries and corneal transplantation. Diagnosis is achieved with the latest precision technologies, including the most exacting digital photographic equipment available and an onsite ocular pathology lab.

The department's corneal and external disease team maintains a leading edge in the most innovative surgical techniques, including:

• Lamellar keratoplasty, a delicate procedure which replaces outer layers of the cornea with layers from a donor cornea
• Deep Lamellar Endothelial Keratoplasty (DLEK), a new technique that results in faster wound healing and smoother surfaces
• Keratoprosthesis, a highly specialized procedure in which an artificial cornea is implanted as an effective alternative for patients who cannot receive transplanted donor corneas

The corneal and external disease service also acts as a regional resource for the management of difficult and sight-threatening external diseases, such as bacterial ulcers, severe viral disease, dry eye syndrome and the broad range of diseases known as uveitis.