Older corneas can be used for transplants

CINCINNATI, April 1 (UPI) -- Some surgeons have been reluctant to use corneas from people over age 65 in transplants, but a U.S. study says the donor pool could be expanded.

Study co-chairman Dr. Edward J. Holland of the University of Cincinnati and director of the Cornea Service at the Cincinnati Eye Institute said the findings indicate the pool of corneas for transplant should be expanded to include donors up to 75 years of age.

"Surgeons and patients now have scientific evidence that older donor corneas are suitable for transplantation," Holland said in a statement.

The Cornea Donor Study, coordinated by the Jaeb Center for Health Research in Tampa, Fla., tracked 1,101 participants enrolled by 105 surgeons at 80 sites across the United States.

The study, published in the journal Ophthalmology, found the five-year transplant success rate was the same -- 86 percent -- for transplants performed with corneas from donors ages 12 to 65 years and from donors ages 66 to 75.