Corneal transplantation, also referred to as corneal grafting, may be a surgery where a damaged or diseased cornea is replaced by donated corneal tissue (the graft). When the whole cornea is replaced it's referred to as penetrating keratoplasty and when only a part of the cornea is replaced it's referred to as lamellar keratoplasty. Keratoplasty simply means surgery to the cornea. The graft is taken from a recently deceased individual with no known diseases or other factors which will affect the prospect of survival of the donated tissue or the health of the recipient.

The cornea is that the transparent front a part of the attention that covers the iris, pupil and anterior chamber. The surgery is performed by ophthalmologists, physicians who concentrate on eyes, and is usually done on an outpatient basis. Donors are often of any age, as is shown within the case of Janis Babson, who donated her eyes after dying at the age 10. The corneal transplantation is performed when medicines, keratoconus conservative surgery and cross-linking can not heal the cornea.