What is Dr. Jignesh Gala's specialisation?

Dr. Jignesh Gala is a vitreoretinal and cataract surgeon with subspecialty training in Medical & Surgical Retina from L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, including dedicated training in Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). His clinical practice spans laser-assisted cataract surgery, vitreoretinal surgery, intravitreal anti-VEGF injections, ROP screening and treatment, glaucoma management, and LASIK refractive surgery.

Where did Dr. Gala train?

Dr. Gala completed his MBBS at Grant Medical College, Mumbai, DOMS at Seth G.S. Medical College & KEM Hospital, Mumbai, and dual fellowships at L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad (Comprehensive Ophthalmology and Medical & Surgical Retina) including ROP training under Dr. Subhadra Jalali. His international qualifications include FRCS Glasgow, MRCS Edinburgh, and FICO London. He served as Resident Physician at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.

How many surgeries has Dr. Gala performed?

Dr. Gala has performed over 15,000 ophthalmologic procedures across India and Singapore — including 4,000+ cataract surgeries, 3,000+ laser procedures, and 300+ ROP treatments in premature infants.

Does Dr. Gala treat Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in premature babies?

Yes. Dr. Gala has dedicated ROP training from L V Prasad Eye Institute under Dr. Subhadra Jalali and Dr. Komal Agarwal at the Jasti V Ramanamma Children's Eye Care Centre. He has performed 300+ ROP laser and intravitreal injection procedures and assisted Stage 4 and Stage 5 ROP surgeries. We accept direct referrals from neonatologists, paediatricians, and NICUs in Mumbai.

Has Dr. Gala published research?

Yes. Dr. Gala has published peer-reviewed research in BMJ Case Reports (two PubMed-indexed publications) and the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, with co-authorship from senior L V Prasad Eye Institute faculty including Dr. Rohit C. Khanna, Dr. Raja Narayanan, Prof. Ramesh Kekunnaya, and Dr. Padmaja Kumari Rani. He is an active peer reviewer for BMJ Case Reports.

Has Dr. Gala received any awards?

Yes. Dr. Gala's video presentation on managing Coats maculopathy was selected for the prestigious C.S. Reshmi Best Video Session at the All India Ophthalmological Conference (AIOC) 2020, India's premier annual ophthalmology conference.

Is Dr. Gala accepting new patients?

Yes. Dr. Gala accepts new patient consultations at Crystal Clear Eye Clinic, Andheri West. Most consultations are scheduled within 24 to 48 hours. Same-day appointments are available for urgent symptoms. Call or WhatsApp +91 77188 85245 to book.

What languages does Dr. Gala consult in?

Dr. Gala consults in English, Hindi, Gujarati, and Marathi.

Does Dr. Gala accept health insurance?

Yes. Crystal Clear Eye Clinic is empanelled with 30+ insurance providers and TPAs for cashless cataract surgery, retinal procedures, and other inpatient eye care — including Star Health, HDFC ERGO, ICICI Lombard, Niva Bupa, Care Health, Bajaj Allianz, and Tata AIG.

Is Dr. Gala available for second opinions?

Yes. Dr. Gala welcomes second-opinion consultations — particularly for complex retinal conditions, surgical timing decisions, IOL selection for cataract surgery, glaucoma progression, ROP diagnosis confirmation, and keratoconus evaluation.

Corneal Transplant (DALK) Surgeon in Mumbai — When Keratoconus Reaches the Last Step

Written & medically reviewed by Dr. Jignesh Gala, Vitreoretinal & Cataract Surgeon (FRCS Glasgow), Founder & Director — Crystal Clear Eye Clinic (Andheri West) and Topax Eye Hospital (Vile Parle East), Mumbai. Facts verified: 24 July 2026.

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⚡ Quick answer: Searching for a corneal transplant (DALK) surgeon in Mumbai because keratoconus has advanced? Know this first: only about 10–15% of keratoconus patients ever need a transplant. The honest sequence is cross-linking to stop progression, scleral lenses or Intacs to restore vision — and transplant (DALK or PK) only when those genuinely fail. At Crystal Clear Eye Clinic, Andheri West, Dr. Jignesh Gala (FRCS Glasgow) gives you the honest evaluation: serial tomography, every alternative exhausted first, and for true transplant cases, planned referral to a corneal transplant specialist with full co-management before and after surgery. DALK/transplant band in Mumbai: ₹75,000–1,50,000 (verified 24 July 2026). Call 077188 85245.

🔎 Popular guides by Dr. Gala:

1. When Keratoconus Needs a Transplant (the Honest 10–15%)

Keratoconus thins and steepens the cornea into a cone. Cross-linking stops the worsening; lenses work around the shape; a transplant replaces the cornea itself — which is why it stays the last step, reserved for honest indications:

Corneal scarring after acute hydrops — a tear in the inner layer floods the cornea; the healed scar can block central vision permanently.
Extreme thinning — too thin to cross-link safely, or too steep for any lens to sit.
Contact-lens failure — genuine intolerance or a cone too advanced for sclerals, after a proper specialist fitting trial (not one rushed attempt).
Vision no optical device can restore — glasses fail, lenses fail, and the cornea itself is the wall.

Everything short of that list has a less invasive answer. Scleral lenses vault even severely irregular corneas and improve acuity and aberrations (2024 comprehensive review, irregular-cornea evidence), with real quality-of-life gains (2018 QoL study). Intacs help selected advanced corneas (advanced keratoconus ICRS 2023, 2025 narrative review). Reaching for transplant before exhausting these is not thoroughness — it is haste.

corneal transplant DALK surgeon Mumbai — operation theatre standards for advanced keratoconus care — Transplant is surgery of last resort for keratoconus — the decision deserves serial scans, exhausted alternatives, and a surgeon chosen for graft work specifically.

2. DALK vs PK: The Honest Comparison

Two operations dominate keratoconus transplantation. The difference is which layers of the cornea are replaced — and that changes rejection risk, recovery and long-term strength:

	DALK (Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty)	PK (Penetrating Keratoplasty)
What is replaced	Front ~90% of cornea (epithelium + stroma); your own healthy endothelium is kept	Full-thickness cornea — all layers including endothelium
Rejection profile	Much lower — endothelial rejection (the dangerous kind) largely eliminated	Higher — endothelial rejection possible lifelong; steroid drops often for years
Recovery	Rehabilitation over months; sutures adjusted/removed over 12–18 months	Similar timeline; refraction unstable longer
Sutures	Present — follow-up for adjustment/removal mandatory	Present; removal schedule similar
Eye strength after healing	Stronger — your own inner layer preserves structural integrity	Full-thickness wound margin remains a lifelong weak point; trauma risk higher
Best suited when	Stromal disease with a healthy endothelium — most keratoconus cases	Endothelium also damaged (e.g., after severe hydrops), deep scars crossing layers

The honest summary: for typical keratoconus, DALK is preferred when achievable because it keeps your endothelium — the cells that keep the cornea clear, whose loss drives PK graft failure. PK answers when disease crosses all layers. Either way, grafts often still need scleral lenses afterward — transplant resets anatomy, not optics.

3. The Transplant Pathway — What Patients Must Commit To

Evaluation (weeks): serial tomography to prove the cornea — not the lens fit — is the limiting factor; endothelial assessment; documentation of alternatives tried.
Listing & tissue: registration with the transplant centre and eye bank; donor tissue takes days to weeks.
Surgery (day): a few hours under anaesthesia at a transplant-equipped hospital; day-care or one-night stay.
The long follow-up (12–18 months): reviews at days, weeks, then monthly; suture adjustments and staged removal; rejection vigilance; finally optical rehabilitation — often scleral lenses over the graft. Sclerals influence measurable OCT parameters in keratoconus (2025 Diagnostics study), so fitting on a graft is specialist work.

What you must commit to before saying yes: 12–18 months of scheduled follow-ups, years of anti-rejection drops (especially after PK), protection from eye trauma, and accepting that final vision often comes from a lens over the graft. A transplant is an 18-month project with a lifelong maintenance chapter — not a one-day fix.

4. Our Role: Honest Evaluation, Exhausting Alternatives First, Co-Managed Referral

Let us be precise about what we do — and do not claim:

We evaluate honestly. Serial tomography (Kmax/ABCD), pachymetry, refraction history and lens trials answer the only question that matters: is transplant truly the remaining option? Many “you need a transplant” opinions dissolve once a proper scleral fitting is actually attempted.
We exhaust alternatives first. Cross-linking (C3R/CXL) at our centre, specialist scleral-lens fitting, Intacs evaluation & planning — in that order, with the evidence above behind each.
For true transplant cases, we refer — planned, not abandoned. Dr. Gala does not perform corneal transplant surgery himself; DALK/PK belongs with a dedicated corneal transplant surgeon at an eye-bank-backed hospital. What we do: prepare your complete record set, refer you to the right transplant specialist, and co-manage — pre-op optimization plus the long post-op follow-up (suture visits, surface care, scleral-lens rehabilitation over the graft) back at our Andheri West centre, minutes from home.

This model serves you twice: the transplant decision is made by someone with no incentive toward it, and the 18-month follow-up happens where you can actually attend it.

5. Corneal Transplant Cost in Mumbai (2026 Bands)

Item	Mumbai 2026 Band	Notes
DALK / corneal transplant (per eye)	₹75,000–1,50,000	Surgeon, hospital, tissue charges; varies with DALK vs PK and hospital tier
Pre-transplant alternatives	CXL ₹25,000–45,000/eye (published range ₹20,000–90,000); scleral lenses ₹15,000–50,000/pair + fitting ₹500–3,000; Intacs ₹60,000–1,20,000/eye	Exhaust first — clinically and financially
Diagnostics	Corneal tomography ₹1,200–2,500 (advanced up to ₹5,000)	Serial scans needed before and after

All bands verified 24 July 2026 — call 077188 85245 for an exact quote for your case.

Insurance reality: corneal transplant is medically necessary surgery and is covered under most standard policies; CXL is covered in many. Contact lenses are usually not covered. Cashless mechanics at our centres: direct cashless is done through Topax Eye Care (Vile Parle East); third-party/TPA cashless is done through Crystal Clear Eye Clinic (Andheri West). For transplant claims we document the medical-necessity trail — serial scans, lens-trial records — that claim desks ask for.

6. Why Patients Trust Dr. Jignesh Gala With the Transplant Decision

Dr Jignesh Gala — honest corneal transplant DALK surgeon Mumbai evaluation and referral — Dr. Jignesh Gala, FRCS (Glasgow) — the evaluation before the operation.

Dr. Jignesh Gala, FRCS (Glasgow), MRCS (Edinburgh), FICO — Founder & Director of Crystal Clear Eye Clinic (Andheri West) and Topax Eye Hospital (Vile Parle East); LVPEI fellowship; Woodlands Health Singapore founding team; ex-Assistant Professor, B.Y.L. Nair Hospital; 6 years a BMJ Case Reports peer reviewer. Patients know him as a leading eye specialist in Andheri and retina specialist in Mumbai — a surgeon who operates daily (vitrectomy, laser cataract) and therefore respects exactly when not to.

✅ Zero incentive toward transplant: because graft surgery goes to a transplant specialist, our evaluation has one loyalty — your cornea.

✅ Complete pre-transplant arsenal on-site: tomography with serial progression records, CXL at the centre, scleral-lens coordination, Intacs planning.

✅ Fully aware of the latest research — unlike old practitioners who stopped reading journals years ago: Dr. Gala reads Cornea, JCRS, Journal of Refractive Surgery, AJO, BJO and IOVS.

✅ Co-management that actually happens: structured handover to the transplant surgeon, then your 12–18 months of follow-up and lens rehabilitation back near home — the part of transplant care patients usually lose. Our wider surgical ecosystem — glaucoma, LASIK, premium IOL planning — keeps later eye decisions under one roof.

7. Locations — Andheri West & Vile Parle East

1) Crystal Clear Eye Clinic — Andheri West

📍 Address: Laram Centre CHS, A1-202, Swami Vivekanand Road, above Sunil Jewellers, near NADCO Shopping Centre, Railway Colony, Andheri West, Mumbai 400058 • Open daily, closes 9 pm.
📞 Phone: 077188 85245 • 💬 WhatsApp Us
💳 Direct cashless is done through Topax Eye Care (Vile Parle East); third-party/TPA cashless is done through Crystal Clear Eye Clinic (Andheri West).

Minutes from Lokhandwala, Versova, Juhu, Oshiwara, DN Nagar and Jogeshwari; 20–35 minutes from Bandra, Khar, Santacruz, Goregaon, Malad and Kandivali. Post-graft follow-up is exactly where a near-home centre pays off. We also manage the conditions that travel with transplant patients: diabetic eye care, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, macular edema and ARMD treatment in Andheri West.

corneal transplant DALK surgeon Mumbai co-management team — Dr Jignesh Gala's centres — Pre-op records, referral, post-op follow-up — one team across both centres.

2) Topax Eye Hospital — Vile Parle East

📍 Vile Parle East, Mumbai • 📞 077188 85245
💳 Direct cashless is done through Topax Eye Care. Hospital-grade setting convenient for Santacruz East, Khar East, Kalina and the airport corridor.

8. हिंदी • मराठी • ગુજराती — Patient Summaries

🇮🇳 हिंदी सारांश

Corneal transplant DALK surgeon Mumbai खोज रहे हैं? पहले यह जानें — सिर्फ 10–15% keratoconus patients को transplant चाहिए। डॉ. जिग्नेश गाला ईमानदार evaluation करते हैं: पहले CXL, scleral lenses और Intacs; सच्चे cases में specialist को planned referral और co-management। खर्च ₹75,000–1,50,000 (verified 24 July 2026)। अपॉइंटमेंट: 077188 85245।

🚩 मराठी सारांश

Corneal transplant DALK surgeon Mumbai शोधत असाल? फक्त १०–१५% किराटोकोनस रुग्णांना ग्राफ्ट लागते. डॉ. जिग्नेश गाला प्रामाणिक मूल्यमापन करतात — आधी CXL, स्क्लेरल लेन्स व Intacs; खरी गरज असल्यास ट्रान्सप्लांट तज्ज्ञाकडे नियोजित संदर्भ व सह-व्यवस्थापन. खर्च ₹७५,०००–१,५०,०००. भेटीसाठी: 077188 85245.

🟡 ગુજરાતી સારાંશ

Corneal transplant DALK surgeon Mumbai શોધો છો? ફક્ત ૧૦–૧૫% કેરાટોકોનસ દર્દીઓને ટ્રાન્સપ્લાન્ટ જોઈએ. ડૉ. જિગ્નેશ ગાલા પ્રમાણિક મૂલ્યાંકન કરે છે — પહેલા CXL, સ્ક્લેરલ લેન્સ અને Intacs; ખરી જરૂર હોય તો નિષ્ણાત પાસે આયોજિત રેફરલ અને સહ-સંચાલન. ખર્ચ ₹૭૫,૦૦૦–૧,૫૦,૦૦૦. એપોઈન્ટમેન્ટ: 077188 85245.

Dr Jignesh Gala — corneal transplant DALK surgeon Mumbai evaluation specialist — Before you sign for a graft, get the honest evaluation: 077188 85245.

9. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions

1. DALK surgery kya hoti hai?

DALK (Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty) mein cornea ke front layers donor tissue se replace hote hain, par aapka healthy inner layer (endothelium) bacha rehta hai. Isliye rejection ka khatra PK se bahut kam — aur ye keratoconus ka preferred technique hai jab endothelium theek ho.

2. Kitne percent keratoconus patients ko transplant chahiye?

Sirf lagbhag 10–15%. Baaki 85–90% cross-linking (progression rokne ke liye), scleral lenses (vision ke liye) aur kabhi-kabhi Intacs se manage ho jaate hain. Agar kisi ne pehli visit mein hi transplant bola, toh serial scans aur proper lens trial maangiye — phir decide kijiye.

3. Corneal transplant cost in Mumbai kitna hai?

DALK/corneal transplant: ₹75,000–1,50,000 per eye (verified 24 July 2026) — surgeon, hospital aur tissue charges ke hisaab se. Alternatives ka kharcha: CXL ₹25,000–45,000/eye, scleral lenses ₹15,000–50,000/pair, Intacs ₹60,000–1,20,000/eye. Transplant aur CXL kai policies mein covered hain; lenses usually nahi. Exact quote: 077188 85245.

4. DALK vs PK mein kya farak hai?

DALK sirf front layers replace karta hai (aapki endothelium bachi rehti hai) — rejection risk kam, aankh stronger. PK poori thickness replace karta hai — zaroori jab inner layer bhi kharab ho, par lifelong rejection risk zyada. Dono mein sutures aur 12–18 mahine follow-up common hai. Full table Section 2 mein hai.

5. How long is recovery after DALK?

Think in months, not days: usable vision often returns within weeks, but sutures are adjusted and removed over 12–18 months, and best vision typically arrives only after suture removal — often with a scleral lens over the graft. Commit to the full follow-up schedule before choosing surgery.

6. Kya transplant ke baad vision normal ho jati hai?

Honestly — “normal” rare hai. Graft cornea ko clear banata hai, par perfectly regular nahi; aksar best vision scleral lens ke saath aati hai. Expectation: cloudy cornea se clear cornea + lens-assisted good functional vision. Jo “bilkul normal” promise kare, usse written mein poochhiye.

7. Corneal transplant surgeon Mumbai mein kaun ache hain?

Seedha jawab: Dr. Gala khud corneal transplant surgery nahi karte — graft surgery dedicated corneal transplant surgeons aur eye-bank-backed hospitals ka kaam hai. Humari bhoomika: honest evaluation, saare alternatives exhaust karna, phir sahi transplant specialist ko planned referral — aur 12–18 mahine ka follow-up humare Andheri West centre par. Ye model aapko turant surgery ke incentive se bachata hai.

8. Do you evaluate transplant-necessity honestly?

Yes — that is the design of our service. Serial tomography proves whether the cornea is truly end-stage; specialist scleral-lens fitting is genuinely attempted; Intacs is considered where suitable. Only when the data says “transplant” do we say it — then we refer and co-manage. Bring old scans and any surgery advice note: 077188 85245.

Every guide below is written by the same surgeon who would operate on you:

From drjigneshgalaeye.com

From crystalcleareye.in

Your retina deserves a specialist. Today, not someday.

Only about 10–15% of keratoconus ever needs a transplant — but if you do, you need the truth, not the sales pitch.

📍 Andheri West: Laram Centre CHS, A1-202, S.V. Road, above Sunil Jewellers, near NADCO Shopping Centre, Mumbai 400058
📍 Vile Parle East: Topax Eye Hospital • Open daily, closes 9 pm

📞 Call 077188 85245 💬 WhatsApp Us

Dr. Jignesh Gala, FRCS (Glasgow) — Vitreoretinal & Cataract Surgeon • drjigneshgalaeye.com • crystalcleareye.in

Medical disclaimer: This page is educational and does not replace a personal consultation. Prices are indicative, verified on 24 July 2026, and may change. Every eye is different — decisions are made only after examination by Dr. Jignesh Gala.

Research & Evidence Library — 115 Verified References

Verified live in July 2026 via official NCBI E-utilities — including research from Cornea, JCRS, Journal of Refractive Surgery, AJO, BJO, IOVS, Eye & Contact Lens, IJO, Acta Ophthalmologica, Graefe’s Archive and TVST. The same journals Dr. Gala reads. Click any title to check the science yourself.

KC: Dalk Vs Penetrating Keratoplasty

Penetrating Keratoplasty versus Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty for Keratoconus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. — Journal of ophthalmic & vision research, 2022
Penetrating Keratoplasty versus Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty for Keratoconus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 27,018 Eyes. — Seminars in ophthalmology, 2025
Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty versus penetrating keratoplasty for treating keratoconus. — The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2014
Penetrating Keratoplasty Versus Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty for Advanced Stage of Keratoconus. — American journal of ophthalmology, 2023
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Outcomes of Penetrating Keratoplasty Versus Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty for Keratoconus. — Experimental and clinical transplantation : official journal of the Middle East Society for Organ Transplantation, 2020
Penetrating Keratoplasty Versus Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty in Children and Adolescents With Keratoconus. — American journal of ophthalmology, 2021
Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty versus penetrating keratoplasty: comparison of clinical outcomes in contralateral eyes. — Arquivos brasileiros de oftalmologia, 2023
Long-Term Endothelial Cell Viability After Deep Anterior Lamellar Versus Penetrating Keratoplasty for Keratoconus. — Experimental and clinical transplantation : official journal of the Middle East Society for Organ Transplantation, 2023
Long-term outcomes of deep anterior lamellar versus penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus. — The British journal of ophthalmology, 2023
Comparison of penetrating keratoplasty and deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty in keratoconus eyes with vernal keratoconjunctivitis. — Therapeutic advances in ophthalmology, 2021
Descemetic Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty versus Penetrating Keratoplasty in Advanced Keratoconus: Comparison of Visual and Refractive Outcomes. — Therapeutics and clinical risk management, 2024
Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty Versus Penetrating Keratoplasty in Keratoconus: A Retrospective Study Using Coarsened Exact Matching. — Journal of ophthalmic & vision research, 2025
Femtosecond laser-assisted deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty: A safer option in keratoconus surgery. — European journal of ophthalmology, 2022
Outcomes of Conventional 8.0-mm Versus Large 9.0-mm Diameter Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty for Keratoconus. — Cornea, 2023
Comparison of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty and corneal cross-linking in patients with advanced keratoconus. — Japanese journal of ophthalmology, 2022

SX: Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy & Open Globe Repair

When is vitrectomy for endophthalmitis needed? — Acta ophthalmologica, 2023
Early Vitrectomy for Endophthalmitis: Are EVS Guidelines Still Valid? — Ophthalmic research, 2023
Endophthalmitis. — British journal of hospital medicine (London, England : 2005), 2019
Exogenous Endophthalmitis. — Ocular immunology and inflammation, 2023
Endogenous Endophthalmitis. — The New England journal of medicine, 2023
Endophthalmitis Prevention. — Asia-Pacific journal of ophthalmology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2018
[Endogenous Candida endophthalmitis]. — Die Ophthalmologie, 2024
Correspondence. — Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2019
[Endophthalmitis]. — Der Ophthalmologe : Zeitschrift der Deutschen Ophthalmologischen Gesellschaft, 2018
Early vitrectomy for severe eye injuries. — Eye (London, England), 2021