Corneal transplant failures not linked to age of donor, preservation time

April 16, 2010

The popularity of corneal transplants has increased significantly in recent years as more people look to improve their eye health, but some recipients have noticed there are drawbacks to the procedure.

One of the side effects of a corneal transplant is graft failure, which can cause the transplant to be unsuccessful.

According to a new study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, neither the age of the donor nor tissue preservation measures have a tie to corneal transplant failure. During a 20-year follow-up study of 41 corneal transplants, it was found that 83 percent of the procedures had failed. Of those treatments, 26 were due to an unidentifiable cause.

"The findings in our study provide additional evidence that increased death to transplant time has no effect on graft failure, which is important information for surgeons who import donor tissue or accept donor tissue with extended preservation times," the authors wrote.

According to the American Optometric Association, it's a good idea to check with an eye care professional multiple times to determine if there is a need for corneal modification.