A MECHANICAL INVESTIGATION OF CORNEAL REFRACTIVE SURGERIES AND PROPOSITION OF NEW TECHNIQUES

각막굴절수술의 역학적 고찰 및 새로운 기법의 시도

This study investigated the effects of mechanical factors involved in several corneal refractive surgeries on the surgical outcomes. Then we proposed possible new techniques from the mechanical point of a view utilizing finite element method. The models studied are: circumferential keratetomy, combination of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy and circumferential keratotomy for myopia treatment, arcuate keratotomy for astigmatism treatment. The cornea was assumed to be nonlinear elastic and almost incompressible material as the most soft tissue in the human body. In the circumferential keratotomy the effect of the incision location was investigated. The angle and location of the incision were varied to predict the surgical outcomes in the arcuate keratotomy. The finite element analysis results showed that the location of incision was a critical factor affecting the surgical outcomes in the circumferential keratotomy. In the combination of the excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy and circumferential keratotomy, it was predicted that the circumferential can increase or decrease the refractive power depending on the incision location or it can be used to adjust the overcorrection of undercorrection. In the arcuate keratotomy for astigmatism, the most diopter changes were predicted when the location and the angle of the incision were 3.0mm from the apex and $90^{\circ}$, respectively. In the arcuate keratotomy, the effects of an incision were studied within the incision area as well as outside the incision area. Also, the arcuate keratotomy with two incisions located on the opposite area of the cornea was also studied. As a conclusion, the finite element method is a useful technique in the area of corneal refractive surgeries to develop new techinques.