Ultraviolet analysis of donated corneas: a portable prototype.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Optics

Background:

• Modern vision correction technologies may inadvertently compromise the cornea's natural ultraviolet (UV) radiation protection.
• Understanding these effects is crucial for patient eye health and surgical safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a portable dual beam system for measuring corneal UV transmittance.
• To investigate the impact of refractive keratectomy on the cornea's natural UV protection.

Main Methods:

• A portable dual beam system was developed to evaluate UV transmittance (300-400 nm) in corneas.
• The system was tested using donated corneas and simulated refractive keratectomy by removing corneal lamellae.
• Measurements were validated against Cary 17 and Ocean Optics spectrophotometers, achieving 95% agreement.

Main Results:

• The prototype system achieved high precision (±0.25%) and measurement speed (500 measurements/s).
• Preliminary studies on cadaveric corneas showed a significant average loss of 7.1% in natural UV protection when the stromal layer was reduced by approximately 150 μm.
• The system is currently undergoing testing in an eye bank for routine donor cornea evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Refractive surgical procedures involving stromal layer reduction can lead to a notable decrease in the cornea's inherent UV protective capabilities.
• The developed portable dual beam system shows promise for clinical assessment of corneal UV transmittance and donor cornea quality control.