My doubt is a little specific, but I couldn't find an answer anywhere... I'm wrting a story where I want the MC to be blind (being born blind or losing vision in childhood) and then she has some kind of operation and is able to see, but after a while she gets blind again. I was thinking of writing that she had a corneal transplant, but then rejected the graft. BUT I've been looking in wikipedia, google, etc, and I can't find what happens when a person rejects the cornea. I know you can be treated with steroids to heal, but I don't want her to heal. If she rejected the graft and nothing worked to cure her wouldn't she die? Or there is a way that she could keep the transplanted cornea even rejecting it? Any other disease idea or anything about being born blind, seeing and getting blind again would help too
There are many articles. It seems it may occur years later. Three layers of the cornea may be rejected separately. Some patients may have no symptoms. Others may complain of an increased sensitivity to light, a decreased vision, redness, pain and irritation. The reaction damages the tissue "causing it to swell and lose clarity." The tissue will not "fall out of the eye" but another transplant may be necessary. Other risks are: infection, bleeding, swelling or detachment of the retina, glaucoma and astigmatism. They are less prevalent and can be treated. Steroids/immunosuppressive drugs treatment can overcome the reaction. References: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1193505-overview http://www.opt.indiana.edu/lowther/html/keratoconus_transplant.htm http://www.ienhance.com/procedure/description.asp?ProcID=116&bodyid=1&specialtyid=4
I don't know much about this but I will say please don't use wikipedia for book research unless you can verify it. Wikipedia is awesome when you want random info it's not great for book research though because anyone can edit the article. Which basically means people could potentially have no clue what they are talking about.
Thank you, Terra and ManOfSteel, I aprecciate the help. Usually I don't use only wikipedia, I just make a research there and in other sites, but I know I can't trust wikipedia very much. Thanks for the advice
You're welcome. Well, that's good. Just wanted to make sure you knew. I'd really hate for someone to do all that work only to find out the research wasn't correct! :S
