Spatial characterization of corneal biomechanical properties with optical coherence elastography after UV
Michael D Twa1, Jiasong Li2, Srilatha Vantipalli3
1University of Houston, College of Optometry, 505 J. Davis Armistead Building, Houston, Texas 77204-2020, USA ; University of Houston, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77004, USA.
Abstract:
Corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) is a clinical treatment for keratoconus that structurally reinforces degenerating ocular tissue, thereby limiting disease progression. Clinical outcomes would benefit from noninvasive methods to assess tissue material properties in affected individuals. Regional variations in tissue properties were quantified before and after CXL in rabbit eyes using optical coherence elastography (OCE) imaging. Low-amplitude (<1µm) elastic waves were generated using micro air-pulse stimulation and the resulting wave amplitude and speed were measured using phase-stabilized swept-source OCE. OCE imaging following CXL treatment demonstrates increased corneal stiffness through faster elastic wave propagation speeds and lower wave amplitudes.
