Thermomechanical behavior of the cornea.

Shrinkage of corneal collagen is used during thermokeratoplasty, a method to remodel the corneal curvature. The goal of our investigations was to determine the optimal temperature range for maximal shrinkage of the collagen fibers with minimal damage. By means of a commercially available stress-strain-measuring device including a paraffin oil bath at temperatures varying from 35 degrees to 120 degrees C, strips of pig cornea measuring 5 mm in width and 9 mm in length were investigated in the stress range of sigma = (0.

[Thermo-mechanical behavior the the cornea].

Background: Shrinkage of corneal collagen is used during thermokeratoplasty, a method to remodel the corneal curvature. The goals of our investigations were to determine the optimal temperature range for maximal shrinkage of the collagen fibers with minimal damage.

Materials And Methods: By means of a commercially available stress-strain-measuring device with a paraffin oil bath of temperatures varying from 35 degrees C to 120 degrees C strips of pig cornea 5 mm in width and 9 mm in length were investigated in the physiological stress range from sigma = (0,5-12,5) .