Finite element modeling of the human eye

Abstract

A three-dimensional finite element model was created to analyze the mechanical interactions between the various substructures within the human eye. During certain activities, mechanical interactions may lead to a resultant distribution of stresses within the eye that may in turn produce various retinal diseases. The entire eye was modeled using dynamic finite element analysis to incorporate the mechanical effects of all of the substructures on the retina. A set of mechanical properties for each substructure was determined from previously published studies. Saccadic motion was modeled in the normal human eye to determine the location and magnitude of peak stresses in the retina and optic nerve head during initial loading. After 0.6125 ms, stresses as high as 5.4 x 10⁷ Pa were reached. The peak stresses occurred in the portions of the retina and the optic nerve head close to the boundary between these two substructures.