title: Incision depth vs. incision number in the rupture strength of pig eyes following radial keratotomy.
abstract: The effects of incision depth and the number of incisions on globe rupture were studied in porcine enucleated eye model. In one group, radial keratotomy was performed using a diamond blade set at 100%, 75%, and 50% of corneal thickness. In another set of eyes, 16, 8, and 4 incisions were made with the diamond knife set at 100% of corneal thickness. The eyes were then subjected to blunt trauma. The mean energy of globe rupture for incisions at 100%, 75%, and 50% of corneal thickness was 3.0, 4.2, and 4.6 joules respectively. In contrast, mean energy of globe rupture for 16, 8, and 4 incisions at 100% corneal thickness was 2.8, 2.9, and 3.0 joules, respectively. This study suggests that incision depth in radial keratotomy reduces the strength of the cornea more than incision number.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University-Harkness Eye Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lucca
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santamaria
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D007646:Keratotomy, Radial / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology*; D012421:Rupture; D013552:Swine