Despite a 16.1% global increase in corneal transplantation from 2012 to 2022, supply-demand imbalance persists with significant inequities by country income level.
High-income countries maintain transplant rates over tenfold higher than low-income countries, accounting for nearly 90% of global activity with less than half the population.
Shifts in surgical techniques favor lamellar keratoplasty, particularly endothelial keratoplasty (EK), with increasing adoption documented in multiple regions including South Korea.
Challenges remain for eye banking infrastructure, donor tissue quality, and equitable procurement, underscoring the need for coordinated investment and alternative therapies.
