Computer-aided geometric modeling of the human eye and orbit

The author advocates, as a long-term development agenda for the profession, a shift in the working methods of medical illustrators from a two-dimensional image processing mode to a computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) mode. Existing CADD technology, which can make short work of the complex graphic construction problems of anatomical visualization, performs virtually all of its manipulations through systematic exercise of graphic geometry which illustrators tend to reduce to an intuitive, almost vestigial supplement to 2D image processing methods. The primary barrier to the immediate use of CADD is a lack of geometric database materials on anatomical component systems of the body. An on-going experimental project in modeling the human eye and orbit, utilizing a Silicon Graphics Iris workstation and Control Data Corporation's Integrated Computerized Engineering and Manufacturing (ICEM) software, exemplifies the preparatory work needed to create such database materials.