Manipulative damage to the endothelium of infant and adult donor corneas.

Six human donor corneas were studied with the scanning electron microscope to quantify the hazards to the endothelium during the excision of corneoscleral buttons. Although the number studied was small, it was found that: (1) striae were more numerous in the flaccid, very young, donor corneas (under 1 year old) than in the more rigid adult corneas: (2) iridocorneal endothelial touch can result in loss of the posterior membrane and death of the touched endothelial cells. This corroborates the findings of other investigators. Both findings are important, because these conditions reduce the quality of the donor cornea for transplantation.