Comparison of the current technique with existing techniques of autologous limbal transplantation for treatment of unilateral limbal stem cell deficiency
| Features | SLET | CLET | CLAU |
| Stages | Single | Two | Single |
| Gap between stages | None | 2 weeks | None |
| Donor tissue size in mm (clock hours) | 2 (<1) | 2 (<1) | 10–20 (3–6) |
| Need for donor conjunctiva | No | No | Yes |
| Need for stem cell laboratory | No | Yes | No |
| Need for hAM | Yes | Yes | No |
| Location of transplant | All over cornea | All over cornea | At the limbus |
| Time to epithelialisation | 4–6 weeks | 0 | 4–6 weeks |
| Repeatable from same donor eye | Yes | Yes | No |
| Donor eye LSCD | No | No15 | Yes6–9 |
| Long-term success | Awaited | 50–100%10–15 | 77–100%5–9 18 |
| Complications in recipient eye | None | None | None |
| Cost* in INR | 12 000 | 96 000 | 12 000 |
| Cost* in GBP | 155 | 1246 | 155 |
↵* Current charges at L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India for the surgical and laboratory procedures, excluding anaesthesia charges and room rent (additional 20–30% of surgery costs).
CLAU, conjunctival limbal autograft; CLET, cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation; GBP, Great Britain pounds; hAM, human amniotic membrane; INR, Indian rupees; LSCD, limbal stem cell deficiency; SLET, simple limbal epithelial transplantation.