Optically inspired biomechanical model of the human eyeball

Abstract

Currently available biomechanical models of the human eyeball focus mainly on the geometries and material properties of its components while little attention has been given to its optics--the eye's primary function. We postulate that in the evolution process, the mechanical structure of the eyeball has been influenced by its optical functions. We develop a numerical finite element analysis-based model in which the eyeball geometry and its material properties are linked to the optical functions of the eye. This is achieved by controlling in the model all essential optical functions while still choosing material properties from a range of clinically available data. In particular, it is assumed that in a certain range of intraocular pressures, the eye is able to maintain focus. This so-called property of optical self-adjustments provides a more constrained set of numerical solutions in which the number of free model parameters significantly decreases, leading to models that are more robust. Further, we investigate two specific cases of a model that satisfies optical self-adjustment: (1) a full model in which the cornea is flexibly attached to sclera at the limbus, and (2) a fixed cornea model in which the cornea is not allowed to move at the limbus. We conclude that for a biomechanical model of the eyeball to mimic the optical function of a real eye, it is crucial that the cornea is allowed to move at the limbal junction, that the materials used for the cornea and sclera are strongly nonlinear, and that their moduli of elasticity remain in a very close relationship.