Increasing Povidone-Iodine Exposure in Endothelial Keratoplasty Tissue Processing and Fungal Infection Impact.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect on donor rim cultures and postoperative infections of doubling the povidone-iodine exposure time during corneal tissue recovery before its use in keratoplasty.

Methods: Consecutive donor cornea recoveries were evaluated for positive donor corneal rim cultures and postoperative infections before and after a protocol change of doubling the exposure time of povidone-iodine during donor preparation.

Results: In 631 consecutive cornea donor recoveries, 18 (2.