Presbyopia is an age related, gradual loss of accommodation, mainly due to changes in the crystalline lens. As part of research efforts to understand and cure this condition, ex vivo, cross-sectional optical coherence tomography images of crystalline lenses were obtained by using the Ex-Vivo Accommodation Simulator (EVAS II) instrument and analyzed to extract their physical and optical properties. Various filters and edge detection methods were applied to isolate the edge contour. An ellipse is fitted to the lens outline to obtain central reference point for transforming the pixel data into the analysis coordinate system. This allows for the fitting of a high order equation to obtain a mathematical description of the edge contour, which obeys constraints of continuity as well as zero to infinite surface slopes from apex to equator. Geometrical parameters of the lens were determined for the lens images captured at different accommodative states. Various curve fitting functions were developed to mathematically describe the anterior and posterior surfaces of the lens. Their differences were evaluated and their suitability for extracting optical performance of the lens was assessed. The robustness of these algorithms was tested by analyzing the same images repeated times.
A custom-built OCT system was used to obtain images of the whole mouse eye. We developed a semi-automated segmentation method to detect the boundaries of the anterior and posterior corneal, lens and retinal surfaces as well as the anterior surface of the iris. The radii of curvature of the surfaces were calculated using a conic section fit of each boundary. Image distortions due to refraction of the OCT beam at the successive boundaries were corrected
using a ray-tracing algorithm. Corrected ocular distances, radii of curvature of the cornea and lens surfaces, and anterior chamber angle were obtained on 3 C57BL/6J mice. In vivo imaging of the whole eye, segmentation, conic function fits and correction were successful in all three animals. The posterior lens surface of one mouse could not be fit accurately with a conic section. Biometric parameters of C57BL/6J mice compared well with previous published data obtained from histological sections. The study demonstrates the feasibility of quantitative in vivo biometry of mouse models.
Presbyopia is the age related, gradual loss of accommodation, mainly due to changes in the crystalline lens.
As part of research efforts to understand and cure this condition, ex vivo, cross-sectional OCT images of
crystalline lenses were obtained and analyzed to extract their physical and optical properties. The raw OCT
images are distorted, as the probing beam passing through media of different refractive indices and
refraction on curved surfaces. In a first step, various filters, edge detection and pattern matching methods
are applied to isolate the edge contour. An ellipse is fitted to the lens outline to obtain central reference
point for transforming the pixel data into the analysis coordinate system. This allows for the fitting of high
order equation to obtain a mathematical description of the edge contour, which obeys constraints of
continuity as well as zero to infinite surface slopes from apex to equator. Robustness of these algorithms
are tested by analyzing the images at various contrast levels. Gradient refractive index of the lens is
determined and the physical shape is reconstructed. In a further refinement, the refraction on the curved
anterior surface is compensated to obtain the actual shape of the posterior surface. Once the physical shape
is fully reconstructed, the optical properties are determined by fitting conic sections to both surfaces and
calculating the power profile across the lens. The relative contribution of each of these refinement steps is
investigated by comparing their influence on the effective power of the lens.
Purpose: To design and test an optical system to measure the optical quality of post mortem lenses during simulated accommodation. Methods: An optical bench top system was designed to measure the point spread function and calculate the modulation transfer function (MTF) of monkey and human ex-vivo crystalline lenses. The system consists of a super luminescent diode emitting at 850nm, collimated into a 3mm beam which is focused by the ex-vivo lens under test. The intensity distribution at the focus (point spread function) is re-imaged and magnified onto a beam profiler CCD camera. The optical quality in terms of spatial frequency response (modulation transfer function) is calculated by Fourier transform of the point spread function. The system was used on ex-vivo lenses with attached zonules, ciliary body and sclera. The sclera was glued to 8 separate PMMA segments and stretched radial by 5mm on an accommodation simulating lens stretching device. The point spread function was measured for each lens in the relaxed and stretched state for 5 human (ages 38-86 years) and 5 cynomolgus monkey (ages 53 - 67 months) fresh post mortem crystalline lenses. Results: Stretching induced measurable changes in the MTF. The cutoff frequency increased from 54.4±13.6 lp/mm unstretched to 59.5±21.4 lp/mm stretched in the post-presbyopic human and from 51.9±24.7 lp/mm unstretched to 57.7±18.5 lp/mm stretched cynomolgus monkey lenses. Conclusion: The results demonstrate the feasibility of measuring the optical quality of ex-vivo human and cynomolgus monkey lenses during simulated accommodation. Additional experiments are underway to quantify changes in optical quality induced by stretching.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of temperature and heating duration on the kinetics of thermal shrinkage in corneal strips using a custom-made shrinkage device. Methods: Thermal shrinkage was induced and measured in corneal strips under a constant load placed while bathed in 25% Dextran irrigation solution. A study was performed on 57 Florida Lions Eye Bank donated human cadaver eyes to determine the effect of temperature on the amount and rate of thermal shrinkage. Further experiments were performed on 20 human cadaver eyes to determine the effects of heating duration on permanent shrinkage. Data analysis was performed to determine the effects of temperature, heating duration, and age on the amount and kinetics of shrinkage. Results: Shrinkage consisted of two phases: a shrinkage phase during heating and a regression phase after heating. Permanent shrinkage increased with temperature and duration. The shrinkage and regression time constants followed Arrhenius type temperature dependence. The shrinkage time constants where calculated to be 67, 84, 121, 560 and 1112 (s) at 80, 75, 70, 65, and 60°C respectively. At 65°C the permanent shrinkage time constant was calculated to be 945s. Conclusion: These results show that shrinkage treatments need to raise the temperature of the tissue above 75°C for several seconds in order to prevent regression of the shrinkage effect immediately after treatment and to induce the maximum amount of permanent irreversible shrinkage.
Purpose: To assess the effects of immersion solutions with different Dextran concentrations on the hydration of cornea tissue strips at normal body temperature. Methods: A 20% Dextran-BSS solution was injected via a self sealing limbal-transcorneal tunnel incision using a 30ga needle into the anterior chamber of human donor eyes until the globe was hard. The eyes were then immersed cornea down overnight in the same solution. Corneal thickness was measured by ultrasound pachymetry after the eyes were re-inflated and at regular intervals to assess dehydration. When the central cornea thickness reached 400-500μm corneal buttons were removed using a 10mm trephine. The buttons were then cut into 6×6mm strips using a custom-made jig and immediately immersed in solutions of Dextran (15 to 20% in increments of 2.5%) at 35°C. The edge thickness of the immersed strip was measured every 5 min for one hour using an optical comparator (Topcon, Japan) modified for tissue shadowphotogrammetry. Results: For five Florida Lions Eye Bank donated eyes after one hour in the Dextran solution the mean final measured thickness of corneas in 20%, 17.5% and 15% Dextran-BSS solutions were 570 (±75) μm, 680 (±70) μm, and 1080 (±95) μm respectively. These measured thicknesses changes correspond to an average swelling of 1.2, 1.4 and 2.2 times the initial thickness of each cornea strip in the 20%, 17.5% and 15% Dextran-BSS solutions respectively. Conclusion: This study demonstrates hydration has a significant effect on the thermal stability and shrinkage dynamics of the cornea. A 25% Dextran solution was found to keep corneal tissue strip thickness at normal values.
The purpose of this study was to design and calibrate a device to measure the dynamics of thermal shrinkage in corneal and scleral strips. The apparatus consists of a thermoelectric cell controlled by a temperature controller designed to generate temperatures up to 90 degree(s)C in rectangular corneal strips; a copper cuvette filled with Dextran solution that holds the corneal strip and a displacement sensor that measures the change in length of the tissue during heat-induced shrinkage. The device was tested on corneal tissue from Florida Eye-Bank eyes that were cut into 2x4mm rectangular strips. Preliminary results indicate that our system can reproducibly create and accurately measure thermally induced corneal shrinkage. Shrinkage experiments will be used to optimize laser parameters for corneal shrinkage during laser thermokeratoplasty and laser scleral buckling.
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to develop a model to predict the corneal temperature and shrinkage during laser thermokeratoplasty and other clinical procedures relying on laser-induced thermal shrinkage of collagenous tissue. Methods. The corneal temperature was calculated by solving the bio-heat equation during laser irradiation using a semi-analytical technique. To calculate shrinkage, we assumed that corneal thermal shrinkage is a thermal denaturation process that follows an Arrhenius equation, and that shrinkage resulting from denaturation is proportional to the amount of thermal damage. We calculated shrinkage for pulsed Ho:YAG laser thermokeratoplasty using the clinical treatment algorithm. Results. The thermal model predicts that the corneal temperature reaches values that may be high enough to induce surface vaporization of the epithelium and thermal damage of the endothelium. Shrinkage calculations show that significant shrinkage is produced only after the third laser pulse. Shrinkage is produced mainly during laser pulses and stops shortly after the start of the cooling phase between laser pulses. Conclusions. These calculations demonstrate that thermal shrinkage can be predicted by combining an optical-thermal model and a thermal denaturation model. Accurate quantitative prediction of the shrinkage effect requires a better knowledge of the dynamics of shrinkage and of the optical thermal response of the cornea.
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