[Ten years of corneal donation to the Hospital São Paulo Eye Bank: characteristics of cornea donors from 1996 to 2005].

Background: Despite all efforts towards the improvement of the eye bank system, the shortage of corneal tissue for transplant is still an important issue in Brazil. The Hospital São Paulo Eye Bank aims to provide high-quality ocular tissues for surgery starting with rigorous selection of donors.

Purpose: To investigate the characteristics of cornea donors to the Hospital São Paulo Eye Bank during a 10-year period.