Residents of Nizhny Novgorod now have access to free corneal transplants.

      On March 19, 2026, at 18:18, Society: For the first time, residents of Nizhny Novgorod have access to corneal transplant surgeries under the compulsory medical insurance policy. This new type of high-tech medical assistance has been implemented at the N.A. Semashko Regional Clinical Hospital. In March, the medical institution has already performed four such surgeries.

      According to the regional health ministry, penetrating keratoplasty is primarily indicated for patients with severe fungal or infectious eye lesions. For them, the surgery can be a chance to restore nearly lost vision. The intervention is also performed for age-related degenerative changes in the cornea and clouding after injuries.

      All surgeries are carried out at the hospital's first ophthalmology department. There, an "eye bank" was previously established, where donor material undergoes special processing using disinfecting and preserving solutions before transplantation.

      Ophthalmic surgeon Dmitry Voinov from the department reported that the surgery itself lasts about an hour. According to him, it is too early to talk about stable results: patients are in the rehabilitation stage, but their vision is gradually recovering, and they can already navigate the ward independently. He also noted that penetrating keratoplasty has long been one of the most anticipated surgeries in the region.

      "Transplantation restores vision to people, and thus, their usual quality of life. Previously, residents of Nizhny Novgorod had to undergo surgery in Cheboksary and Moscow. Today, a waiting list is already forming at the regional clinical hospital," the doctor emphasized.

      The surgeries are performed free of charge under the compulsory medical insurance policy. Patient selection is carried out at the hospital's outpatient clinic based on medical indications.

      In the near future, there are plans to implement a layered corneal transplantation technology, which is considered more effective and allows for nearly complete vision restoration.

      It is worth noting that the N.A. Semashko Regional Clinical Hospital is part of the governor's "City of Health" project aimed at developing the medical infrastructure of the region. The project is being implemented with the support of the federal center and includes the creation of an oncology center with modern equipment.

      This initiative contributes to the implementation of national projects "Long and Active Life" and "Family," which started in Russia in 2025. They aim to increase the accessibility of medical care, develop disease prevention and treatment systems, as well as support families and improve the quality of life for the population.

      It was previously reported that the N.A. Semashko Regional Clinical Hospital conducted its third kidney transplant.

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