Abstract
PurposeTo study age-related changes in corneal deformation response to air-puff applanation tonometry.MethodsFifty healthy subjects were recruited for a prospective study and divided into two equal age groups (≤ 28 and ≥ 50 years old). Up to three measurements by a corneal deformation analyser based on the Scheimpflug principle were performed on the left eye of each subject. Raw Scheimpflug images were used to extract changes in anterior and posterior corneal profiles, which were further modelled by an orthogonal series of Chebyshev polynomial functions. Time series of the polynomial coefficients of even order exhibited a dynamic behavior in which three distinct stages were recognized. A bilinear function was used to model the first and the third stage of corneal dynamics. Slope parameters of the bilinear fit were then tested between the two age groups using Wilcoxon rank sum test and two-way non-parametric ANOVA (Friedman) test.ResultsStatistically significant changes (Wilcoxon test, P<0.05) between the age groups were observed in the phase of the second applanation dynamics for the posterior corneal profile. In a two-way comparison, in which the corneal profile was used as a dependent variable, statistically significant changes (ANOVA/Friedman test, P = 0.017) between the groups were also observed for that phase.ConclusionCorneal biomechanics depend on age. The changes in corneal deformation dynamics, which correspond to mostly free return of the cornea to its original shape after the air pulse, indicate that the age related differences in corneal biomechanics are subtle but observable with high speed imaging.
Highlights
The composition and function of the human eye have been studied for decades
Significant changes (Wilcoxon test, P
The changes in corneal deformation dynamics, which correspond to mostly free return of the cornea to its original shape after the air pulse, indicate that the age related differences in corneal biomechanics are subtle but observable with high speed imaging
Summary
The composition and function of the human eye have been studied for decades. There is still much to be discovered in relation to the structure and properties of the individual components of the eye and changes in these properties as a result of aging processes. It is well known that the cornea has viscoelastic material properties, which means that it has both elastic and viscous properties [6, 7]. A recent study of Elsheikh et al [4] has shown strong statistical association between corneal stiffness and age. They proposed a model relating the two factors that is suitable for implementation in numerical simulations of ocular biomechanical behavior
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