Endothelial cell densities in corneal donor material.

The mean endothelial cell count of 282 donated corneas was 2,665 cells/mm2, and the mean donor age was 56.01 years. The majority of the donors were over the age of 40 years, and the major causes of death were malignancies and myocardial infarction. Vital staining of the endothelium and direct evaluation of cells with an inverted phase contrast microscope were used in assessing the viability of this monocell layer. Evaluation of endothelial photomicrographs revealed that the cell count falls in the first three decades of life and eventually stabilizes around 2,600 cells/mm2. It is therefore suggested that patient age should not be the primary criterion for donor corneal selection.