Objective:

Determine the characteristics of the corneal endothelium by endothelial microscopy.

Methods:

A retrospective descriptive study was conducted of donor corneas from the eye bank of Ramón Pando Ferrer Cuban Institute of Ophthalmology from January to June 2019. The sample was 224 donor corneas. The variables analyzed were age, previous surgery, gerontoxon, pterygium, epithelial defects, corneal infiltrate, corneal opacity, edema, endothelial pigments, guttae, Descemet's membrane detachment, cell density, hexagonality and polymegethism.

Results:

Gerontoxon was the most common finding (56.69%), mean cell density was 2 501 cell/mm2, mean variation coefficient was 43.32 and mean hexagonality was 50.02. Endothelial cell density from 2 000 to 2 500 cell/mm2 was more common in the 60-79 years age group (76.72%), whereas in the 20-29 years age group all the donor corneas had an endothelial density above 2 500 cell/mm2.

Conclusions:

Gerontoxon was the most common finding in the biomicroscopic examination of the cornea. Endothelial microscopy found that most corneas were suitable for corneal transplantation. A corneal endothelium with a cell density above 2 500 cell/mm2 is not exclusive of corneas under 60 years of age.

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