Opto-biomechanical simulation of keratoconus development in emmetropic eyes
To assess how different corneas respond to a standardized structural weak spot in different sizes and locations using the finite element method depending on their initial geometry. The corneal meshes of 5 randomly selected emmetropic SyntEyes with different biometry and optical properties were gener...
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| Published in: | Journal of optometry p. 100587 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Spain
04.11.2025
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| Subjects: | |
| ISSN: | 1989-1342, 1989-1342 |
| Online Access: | Get more information |
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| Summary: | To assess how different corneas respond to a standardized structural weak spot in different sizes and locations using the finite element method depending on their initial geometry.
The corneal meshes of 5 randomly selected emmetropic SyntEyes with different biometry and optical properties were generated using MATLAB and ANSYS. To simulate keratoconus development, a local stiffness reduction of up to 60 % of the original value was implemented in three locations (central, 1mm, and 2mm inferior) with a diameter of 2mm for each cornea. From this, tangential corneal power maps were calculated.
Local weakening causes the formation of a conical deformation at the site of the weak spot and, for an inferior weak spot, a superior flattening. At the center of the weak spot, the cornea becomes thinner by 50μm, while the maximum anterior curvature increased by an average of 51.76±1.38D and the posterior curvature by an average of -7.45±0.15D for the central keratoconus. The anterior surface area increases by 0.88±0.29 mm² and 0.85±0.03 mm² for a central and inferior keratoconus, respectively. The corresponding values for the posterior surface were 1.10±0.03 mm² and 1.06±0.03 mm².
The shape of a keratoconic cornea is not only determined by the response to a local structural weakening, but also by its original corneal shape. This understanding may help enhance early detection and monitoring techniques for keratoconus progression. |
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| Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
| ISSN: | 1989-1342 1989-1342 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.optom.2025.100587 |