Method of corneal transplantation or corneal inlay implantation with cross-linking

A method of corneal implantation with cross-linking, said method comprising the steps of:

• cutting a circular implant from a donor cornea;
• marking the center of the circular implant;
• forming a pocket in a recipient cornea of an eye of a patient, the pocket being bounded entirely by stromal tissue of the cornea, the pocket being created in the recipient corneal stroma using a femtosecond laser, the pocket having a diameter between approximately 3 millimeters and approximately 9 millimeters that is slightly larger than the diameter of the circular implant for ease of implantation of the circular implant;
• separating portions of the pocket in the recipient cornea of the eye using a micro-spatula or a bent needle and hyaluronic acid;
• forming a small side incision in the recipient cornea of the eye of the patient, the pocket being accessible through the small side incision in the recipient cornea, the small side incision being formed in the recipient cornea with the femtosecond laser or a knife;
• inserting the circular implant with a crosslinking solution containing hyaluronic acid into the pocket of the recipient cornea via the small side incision, wherein the circular implant, tissue surrounding the pocket, and the hyaluronic acid are cross-linked so as to prevent an immune response to the circular implant, prevent rejection of the implant by the patient and prevent postoperative glare, where the hyaluronic acid is used for ease of insertion of the circular implant into the pocket in the recipient cornea of the eye, the hyaluronic acid being painted on a surface of the circular implant and a bounding wall of the pocket;
• injecting riboflavin or photosensitizer nanoparticles into the pocket in the recipient cornea of the eye so as to penetrate the circular implant and a portion of the bounding wall of the pocket;
• and
• irradiating the circular implant with ultraviolet light so as to cross-link the circular implant and the portion of the bounding wall of the pocket and the hyaluronic acid, and kill any potential pathogenic contaminants associated with the circular implant and prevent the postoperative glare.