Purpose: To describe the epidemiological profile of patients waiting for penetrating keratoplasty in state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Methods: Transversal and retrospective study, with 871 patients, in the period of 06/01/2011 a 05/31/2012, were registered on the waiting list for corneal transplantation in the Central of Notification, Captation and Distribution of Organs (CNCDO) of Pernambuco. Registration forms of cornea receiving were used, adapted to the purposes of this research. Results: In relation to frequency, it was obtained 54% female, 35% aged 61 to 80 years; 60% transplanted; 52% from the metropolitan area of Recife; 57% that waited 1 to 6 months the transplant; 82% with optical indication for transplant, 5% with priority on the waiting list (48% of those with ocular perforation) and; 37% whose transplant center was the Fundação Altino Ventura (FAV). The main indications for corneal transplantation were leukoma (33%), keratoconus (22%) e bullous keratopathy (18%). Conclusion: It was found that most patients were aged 61 to 80 years; was from the metropolitan area of Recife; was submitted to corneal transplantation; waited for one to six months to do the transplantation; had the diagnosis leukoma, followed by keratoconus and bullous keratopathy; was indicated to transplantation optical and had the transplant center to FAV.

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The patients underwent the second eye phacoemulsification surgery earlier (with better visual acuity and shorter time interval), had a shorter phacoemulsification time and tendency to be followed by less intra- and postoperative complications.