Baseline donor characteristics in the Cornea Donor Study.

PURPOSE: The Cornea Donor Study (CDS) is an ongoing study that is being conducted to determine whether donor age is related to long-term corneal graft survival. Characteristics of the donor population have been evaluated with respect to donor age, endothelial cell density, and death to preservation interval.

METHODS

Within the context of a prospective, double-masked, controlled trial, 1101 donor corneas were assigned without regard to donor age.

RESULTS

Slit-lamp characteristics of the donor corneas showed little variation with donor age, except for the presence of corneal arcus. As death to preservation time decreased, fewer epithelial abnormalities and a lower frequency of stromal edema and Descemet folds were observed. There was little change in the mean of the endothelial cell density with donor age beyond age 60, despite variation.

CONCLUSION

With respect to donor age, there was little difference in either the slit-lamp characteristics or endothelial cell density of the donor corneas. Fewer epithelial abnormalities were observed with shorter death to preservation time.