Identification of the model parameters in cornea with keratoconus in terms of the numerical-experimental study of corneal geometry and mechanical behavior

Abstract

The aim of this work is to derive a computational technique for model parameter es-timation of corneal mechanical behavior basing upon the following input clinical bi-omarkers: the real-time amplitude of corneal deformations, measured in course of non-contact pneumotonometry, intraocular pressure and geometric features of the patient’s cornea, revealed during his tomographic examination. The developed technique of corneal properties prediction within the area of kerato-conus and beyond it, is based upon the data resulting from finite element modeling of a non-contact tonometric test, and upon the procedure of multi-parameter optimization (minimization) of the deviation of the calculated results from the amplitude of corneal deformation measured by means of pneumotonometer Corvis ST. The simulation is based on the results of a survey of 78 patients of a real clinical database, taking into account the geometry of the cornea, the size and position of the keratoconus zone, the intraocular pressure, and the deformation parameters of the material during the pneumotest, which are specific for each patient.