PURPOSE: To define the epidemiological aspects of the patients on the waiting list and those submitted to corneal transplantation in the state of Sergipe, Brazil and the main indications for this procedure. METHODS: The data of 320 patients who were on the waiting list and those who had their corneas transplanted from May 2000 to November 2002 were collected at the Transplantation Center of Sergipe. The analyzed data were: corneal disease, age, sex, visual acuity and the time spent on the waiting list until the transplantation was performed. RESULTS: Pseudophakic and aphakic bullous keratopathy was the most common disease (39.1%), followed by leukoma (22.5%), keratoconus (14.1%), "other diseases" (10.6%), regraft (7.8%) and ulcerative conditions (5.6%). Mean age was 52.16 years and there was no significant difference between the sexes. "Hand motion" and "light perception" were the most common visual acuities. The 110 patients who had their cornea transplanted waited, on average, six months. The ones who were indicated for transplant due to ulcerative conditions and regraft had priority and waited less time. Those who had bullous keratopathy were 68.5 years old on average whereas the ones with keratoconus were 23.6 years old. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to conclude that bullous keratopathy is the main indication for corneal transplant in our state. There is no difference in the frequency concerning sex; the mean age of the most common disease is in agreement with the time of its development. Visual acuity is as expected and the time spent on the waiting list is long and inappropriate.
Corneal transplantation; Epidemiological profiles; Keratoplasty; Keratoconus; Epidemiology
