When can I rub my eye after a corneal transplant?

This is the one restriction with no expiration date attached to it. The Academy's recovery instructions say plainly not to press on or rub your eye, and the National Eye Institute says the same, along with wearing glasses or a shield for protection.

The reason is mechanical. After a full thickness graft, the whole central cornea is held by fine stitches, and the Cornea Research Foundation of America warns that patients with a full thickness graft must be careful for the rest of their lives to avoid any injury that could break open the incision. After DMEK or DSAEK, a thin donor layer is stuck to the inside of your cornea and pressure on the eye can work against that attachment, especially early.

Practical substitutes: use the lubricating drops your surgeon approves for itching or grittiness, wear the shield at night if you were told to, and if the itch is constant or new, report it rather than scratching it. A persistently irritated, red eye is also one of the rejection warning signs, so it deserves a phone call, not a rub.