Dr. Irit Bahar

Rabin Medical Center has performed the first artificial cornea transplant in Israel, bringing new hope to patients who are blind and have undergone unsuccessful corneal transplants or were not candidates for a regular cornea transplant. The transplant was performed by Dr. Irit Bahar, senior physician in the Department of Ophthalmology at Rabin Medical Center. Dr. Bahar is the only physician in Israel who is an expert in artificial cornea transplants, joining other specialists in renowned medical centers abroad. She specialized in this technique at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Institute and at Harvard University.

Dr. Bahar explains the procedure: "The artificial cornea, about the size and thickness of a nickel, is held by a ring of host tissue, which alleviates the incidence of rejection. The procedure, which takes about 90 minutes, is pretty similar to standard corneal transplantation surgery except that the prosthesis is embedded in the corneal tissue. This surgery has the potential to restore vision of blind patient's secondary to severe corneal disease."

Prof. Weinberger, Director of the Department of Ophthalmology, "This is a medical breakthrough in Israel, which places Rabin Medical Center alongside other prominent medical facilities in the field of advanced cornea transplants. We believe that this new technology will bring light into the lives of many Israeli patients who had given up hope of ever seeing again."

Four artificial cornea transplants have already been performed by Dr. Bahar at Rabin Medical Center, which is the leading medical center in Israel in all areas of organ transplantation.