Abstract
Purpose. To investigate the difference between the eyes from the same human with respect to the biomechanical properties of fresh corneal tissues and investigate the assumption of similarity of the corneal biomechanical properties between the eyes. Methods. Strip specimens extracted through a small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery were tested using a uniaxial tensile test. The specimens were extracted vertically. Low-strain tangent modulus (LSTM), high-strain tangent modulus (HSTM), and tensile strength (σb) were the biomechanical parameters used in the comparison of the eyes from the same human. Results. Ninety corneal specimens from 45 persons were included in this study. The LSTM of the left and right eyes were 1.34 ± 0.52 and 1.37 ± 0.46 MPa, while the HSTM were 50.53 ± 7.51 and 49.41 ± 7.01 MPa, respectively. There was no significant difference between the eyes in terms of LSTM, HSTM, andσbP=0.813, 0.335, and 0.605, resp.. The LSTM and HSTM were significantly correlated with the spherical equivalent (SE) (P≤0.01, P=0.001, resp.). Conclusions. The assumption that the corneal biomechanical properties of the eyes from the same human are similar has been confirmed for the first time using fresh human corneal tissue. This finding may be useful in further biomechanical studies.
Highlights
A transparent cornea is an important component of the outer ocular tunic
Demographic data are summarized in Table 1; all data were normally distributed. ere was no significant difference between the eyes with respect to any of the parameters
Comparison of the eyes with respect to low-strain tangent modulus (LSTM), high-strain tangent modulus (HSTM), and tensile strength is shown in Table 2; there was no significant difference between the eyes in terms of all three parameters
Summary
A transparent cornea is an important component of the outer ocular tunic. It accounts for approximately two-thirds of the optical power of the eye and serves as an effective protective shield. Previous studies of corneal biomechanical properties were conducted using animals’ and cadavers’ eyes or pathological cornea because of the preciousness of the human cornea. [5, 6] these studies could not accurately describe the material properties of the normal human corneal tissue. With the development of small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery, it is possible to obtain fresh human corneal tissue; this has made the direct study of the fresh human cornea a reality
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