Simulation of corneal tissue mechanical deformation due to laser thermokeratoplasty: a finite element methods study

Laser thermokeratoplasty (LTK) is the ophthalmologic procedure used for the correction of hyperopia. In this paper, the grid compartmentalization, loading and restriction of cornea model were reported based on the principle and process of LTK. The corneal deformation and the change of curvature radius were analyzed with different operation parameters. The effects of different parameters on the corneal curvature were obtained and consequently the effects on the diopter correction were determined. It was found that eye pressure only had a small effect on the changes of cornea diopter. Under the same eye pressure, the greater the diameter of operation area changed, the greater the corneal curvature changed with a more obvious operation efficacy. To obtain a significant operation efficacy, the diameter of operation area should not be less than 4.5 mm.