Queue for cornea transplant in Brazil almost triples in 10 years

This growth is due, in part, to the interruption of elective surgeries during the pandemic, as well as an insufficient number of donors to meet the growing demand. Furthermore, we still face the great challenge of improving transplant management
Wilma Lelis, president of the CBO

Waiting time

A person who needs a cornea transplant waits, on average, 194 days for surgery. It takes more than six months to wait plus recovery time for the patient to see again.

The most critical situation is in Maranhão. The waiting time in the state for a cornea transplant is 595 days – more or less 19 months. Next, Pará has a waiting time of 594 days.

In Ceará, on the other hand, the waiting time is 63 days. Other states with better performance in speed of corneal transplants are Paraná, with 119 days of waiting, and Pernambuco, with 121.

In specific cases analyzed by the Ophthalmology Council, there were those who waited 190 months, or 16 years, to undergo a transplant. The COB cites a specific case that happened in Rio de Janeiro. Similar cases occurred in Ceará, where a patient spent more than 13 years in line, and in Pará, where a person spent more than 12 years waiting.