Corneal & External Eye Disease

The Corneal & External Eye Disease Department is led by Professor Marcus Ang (Head and Senior Consultant) and comprises 8 ophthalmologists, providing medical and surgical care.

Our Care Services

The department provides a full range of corneal transplant services:

Transplant & Surgical Services:

• Full-thickness and partial-thickness transplant
• Stem cell reconstruction
• Artificial cornea implants like the Boston keratoprosthesis for severe corneal disease

Other Conditions:

• Corneal infections
• Scars and dystrophies
• Contact lens-related issues
• Ocular surface disorders
• Dry eyes

Medical Contact Lens Service:

We are one of the few medical contact lens services available in the region.

• Specialty corneal gas permeable lenses to scleral lenses

Why Choose SNEC?

Quality Assurance

• The first-year transplant survival rate is close to 95%, comparable to that of the top transplant centres in the world.
• Started in 1991, the Corneal Transplant Registry now holds data from over 8,000 patients, making it one of Asia's largest*. It supports quality audits, research and evidence-based care by capturing data before, during, and after surgery.

Access to Advanced Lens Technology

• Use femtosecond lasers for corneal transplant procedures, enabling clean and accurate cuts with minimal tissue damage which allows faster healing outcomes.
• Among the first centres in the world to introduce Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK), a minimally invasive corneal transplant technique that offers a relatively safer and simpler procedure. With corneas supplied by the SEB, surgery takes about 30 minutes and restores vision within weeks.

Training the Experts

• As SNEC is a WHO Collaborating Centre, it trains surgeons in the region and partners with the Singapore Eye Bank (SEB) to perform transplant surgeries using high-quality donor tissue.

8
ophthalmologists

> 22,900
outpatient visits a year

> 60%

of corneal transplants in Singapore are done at SNEC

“Our surgical techniques and advances in transplant technology have enabled our patients to regain clearer vision, faster and with less risk of post-operative complications.” 

Prof Marcus Ang

Head and Senior Consultant

Corneal and External Eye Disease Department