deep lamellar endothelial keratoplasty (DLEK), a procedure in which a small incision is used to remove only the diseased tissue without transplanting the entire cornea. Only the inside layer of the cornea is replaced. This technique avoids the astigmatism that often occurs with penetrating keratoplasty and greatly reduces the risk of infection. Also called lamellar transplant, split-thickness transplant. See also corneal grafting.
