CHARACTERIZING THE MECHANICAL RESPONSE OF CORNEA USING BIAXIAL TESTS

The cornea is a transparent tissue that covers the front of the eye
and has unique mechanical properties. The cornea and sclera protect
internal parts of the eye globe, i.e., iris, pupil, and lens. The cornea is a
tissue that is exposed to the outside environment; thus, it could undergo
significant amount of external pressure that is, for example, caused by
eye rubbing and sudden injuries. The cornea is composed of five layers,
i.e. epithelium, Bowman's layer, stroma, Descemet's membrane, and
endothelium. The stroma is its thickest layer and comprises about 90
percent of the corneal thickness. The corneal stroma is mainly
composed of water, collagen fibers, and proteoglycans that are found in
the form of many superimposed lamellae. The uniform diameter and
regular arrangement of collagen fibers in the corneal stroma are
essential for its transparency and unique optical properties. In addition,
the stromal layer is responsible for the structural properties of the
cornea.