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Published on: January 16, 2011
Assessment of the strength of minicapsulorhexes
Jean-Marie Parel1, Noël Ziebarth, David Denham
1Ophthalmic Biophysics Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33136, USA. jmparel@med.miami.edu
Purpose:
To evaluate the effect of age, size, position, and species on the strength of minicapsulorhexes.
Setting:
Surgical Suite and Laser Laboratory, Ophthalmic Biophysics Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
Methods:
Capsulorhexes 0.7 to 2.3 mm in diameter were made centrally or peripherally in 35 eye-bank eyes and 32 rabbit eyes. A custom-made instrument stretched the capsulorhexes until rupture. Load and stretch at rupture were recorded.
Results:
Maximum load and stretch were 26.3 mN +/- 20.3 (SD) and 50% +/- 18% for central and 50.8 +/- 20.5 mN and 69% +/- 17% for peripheral capsulorhexes in eye-bank eyes and 19.8 +/- 15.2 mN and 38% +/- 13% for central and 13.5 +/- 9.5 mN and 30% +/- 7% for peripheral capsulorhexes in rabbit eyes. Peripheral capsulorhexes were stronger and more elastic than central capsulorhexes in eye-bank eyes, and maximum load and stretch increased statistically with the capsulorhexis diameter.
Conclusions:
Peripheral minicapsulorhexes were more resistant to rupture than central capsulorhexes in eye-bank eyes, probably because of increased lens capsule thickness at the periphery. An increase in capsulorhexis diameter increased the resistance to rupture.
