The biomechanical modelling of the refractive surgery

Abstract

A study reports the numerical modelling of corneal-shaped sculpting according to simulation of the refractive surgery to verify biomechanical as well as geometrical parameters of the eye and to obtain the expected changes in the refractive power of the eyeball model. The finite-element method (FEM) was used to simulate an effect of refractive surgery. The corneal ablation and deformation for myopia correction were modelled. The refractive correction has an insignificant sensitivity on the assumed eccentricity of the corneal anterior profile across the range e=0–0.5. The expected correction occurs for corneal Young's modulus E C⩾2 MPa. The including elasticity of the Descemet membrane E D=2 E C or 5 E C has an insignificant influence on the refraction correction of the cornea with E C>2 MPa, and has a greater influence for E C<1 MPa. The understanding of the relationship between geometry, material properties and intraocular pressure (IOP) applied on the human eye has an importance for results of the refractive surgery. Numerical calculations showed that modelled dynamics of the eye is important for obtaining quantitative information about the biomechanical parameters of the biological eye tissues and permits its modelling before refractive surgery.