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Flexible Optical Waveguides for Uniform Periscleral Cross-Linking
Sheldon J J Kwok1, Moonseok Kim2, Harvey H Lin2
1Harvard Medical School and Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 2Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
|May 12, 2017
Summary
Flexible optical waveguides offer a novel method for scleral cross-linking (SXL) to treat myopia. This approach ensures uniform light delivery, enhancing scleral stiffness effectively and safely.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Scleral cross-linking (SXL) aims to strengthen the sclera and inhibit myopia progression.
- Current SXL light delivery methods are inefficient and non-uniform.
- Novel light delivery systems are needed to improve SXL efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop flexible optical waveguides for enhanced scleral cross-linking.
- To achieve efficient and homogeneous light delivery to the sclera.
- To mechanically reinforce the sclera and prevent axial elongation.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of polydimethylsiloxane elastomer waveguides.
- Delivery of 445 nm blue light to porcine scleral tissue.
- Measurement of light delivery uniformity and scleral stiffness via tensiometry.
- SXL performed around the entire eye equator.
Main Results:
- Tapered waveguides improved light delivery uniformity (CV < 10%).
- Scleral Young's modulus increased significantly (10.7 ± 1.0 MPa) after waveguide SXL.
- Waveguide SXL achieved comparable stiffness to direct irradiation.
Conclusions:
- Flexible waveguides enable efficient and uniform periscleral cross-linking.
- This method effectively stiffens a 5-mm equatorial scleral band.
- Waveguide technology offers a promising advancement for myopia control.
