Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, 14 Engineering Drive, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
Exp Eye Res. 2013 Oct;115:216-23. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2013.07.029. Epub 2013 Aug 8.
Accurate thermal models for the cornea of the eye support the development of thermal techniques for reshaping the cornea and other scientific purposes. Heat transfer in the cornea must be quantified accurately so that a thermal treatment does not destroy the endothelial layer, which cannot regenerate, and yet is responsible for maintaining corneal transparency. We developed a custom apparatus to measure the thermal conductivity of ex vivo porcine corneas perpendicular to the surface and applied a commercial apparatus to measure thermal conductivity parallel to the surface. We found that corneal thermal conductivity is 14% anisotropic at the normal state of corneal hydration. Small numbers of ex vivo feline and human corneas had a thermal conductivity perpendicular to the surface that was indistinguishable from the porcine corneas. Aqueous humor from ex vivo porcine, feline, and human eyes had a thermal conductivity nearly equal to that of water. Including the anisotropy of corneal thermal conductivity will improve the predictive power of thermal models of the eye.
准确的眼部角膜热模型支持角膜重塑和其他科学目的的热技术的发展。角膜中的热量传递必须准确量化，这样热治疗才不会破坏无法再生但负责维持角膜透明度的内皮细胞层。我们开发了一种定制的设备来测量垂直于表面的离体猪眼角膜的导热系数，并应用一种商业设备来测量平行于表面的导热系数。我们发现，在角膜正常水合状态下，角膜导热系数各向异性为 14%。少数离体猫和人眼角膜垂直于表面的导热系数与猪眼角膜无法区分。离体猪、猫和人眼的房水导热系数几乎与水相同。包括角膜导热系数的各向异性将提高眼部热模型的预测能力。
