Nitric oxide releasing coatings for the prevention of viral and bacterial infections.

Healthcare associated infections (HCAI) represent a significant burden worldwide contributing to morbidity and mortality and result in substantial economic consequences equating to billions annually. Although the impacts of HCAI have been felt for many years, the coronavirus pandemic has had a profound effect, escalating rates of HCAI, even with extensive preventative measures such as vaccination, personal protective equipment, and deep cleaning regimes. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new solutions to mitigate this serious health emergency.

Eye bank versus surgeon prepared Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty tissues: Influence on adhesion force in a pilot study.

Purpose: To evaluate and compare the biomechanical properties of the eye bank-prepared and surgeon prepared Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) tissues.

Methods: In this laboratory study, corneal tissues for research were randomly allocated in the following groups: a) surgeon-cut DSAEK and b) eye bank-prepared (pre-cut and pre-loaded) DSAEK. Endothelial cell loss (ECL), immunostaining for tight junction protein ZO-1, elastic modulus, and adhesion force were investigated.

Corneal biomechanical properties following corneal cross-linking: Does age have an effect?

Purpose: To explore the effect of age on corneal biomechanical properties following corneal cross-linking (CXL).

Methods: A total of 12 pairs of human eye-banked corneas (24 corneas, from 14 females and 10 males) were used in the study. The mean donor age was 48.

Eye bank versus surgeon prepared DMEK tissues: influence on adhesion and re-bubbling rate.

Aim: To investigate the difference in adhesion and rebubbling rate between eye bank and surgeon prepared Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) tissues.

Methods: Laboratory and clinical retrospective comparative interventional case series. Research corneal tissues were obtained for laboratory investigation.

Microscale assessment of corneal viscoelastic properties under physiological pressures.

The micromechanical behaviour of the cornea is important for understanding and modelling of many ocular disorders. Whereas inflation testing has been utilised to determine the bulk mechanical properties of the cornea under physiological pressures, micromechanical testing has been limited to unpressurised corneal samples. In this study the micromechanical properties of pressurised porcine corneas were determined using oscillatory nanoindentation coupled with a custom inflation method.

Line-Field Optical Coherence Tomography as a tool for In vitro characterization of corneal biomechanics under physiological pressures.

There has been a lot of interest in accurately characterising corneal biomechanical properties under intraocular pressure (IOP) to help better understand ocular pathologies that are associated with elevated IOP. This study investigates the novel use of Line-Field Optical Coherence Tomography (LF-OCT) as an elastographic tool for accurately measuring mechanical properties of porcine corneas based on volumetric deformation following varying IOPs. A custom-built LF-OCT was used to measure geometrical and corneal surface displacement changes in porcine corneas under a range of IOPs, from 0-60 mmHg.