When can I fly after a corneal transplant?

In DSAEK and DMEK, an air or gas bubble is placed in the eye to hold the donor tissue against your cornea. StatPearls describes air being partly exchanged after roughly 10 to 30 minutes in DSAEK, and air removal about 30 minutes to 2 hours later in DMEK, with a long acting gas such as 20% sulfur hexafluoride used in some cases. A long acting gas stays in the eye longer than plain air.

That matters for travel because a gas bubble expands when you go up in altitude, which can raise eye pressure and cause pain or blocked blood flow. The Academy explains that the amount of expansion and the risk go up with the size of the bubble and the size of the altitude change, and go down as the bubble is absorbed. In one Academy answer about a gas bubble, an ophthalmologist said it was unlikely there was significant risk traveling to moderate altitudes five weeks after the bubble was placed, while still advising the patient to confirm with their own surgeon.

For a full thickness (PK) graft there is normally no bubble, so the flying question is more about protecting the eye, keeping your drop schedule on the road, and being reachable if something changes. Either way, ask your surgeon before booking, especially in the first weeks.