title: Spatial characterization of corneal biomechanical properties with optical coherence elastography after UV cross-linking.
abstract: Corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) is a clinical treatment for keratoconus that structurally reinforces degenerating ocular tissue, thereby limiting disease progression. Clinical outcomes would benefit from noninvasive methods to assess tissue material properties in affected individuals. Regional variations in tissue properties were quantified before and after CXL in rabbit eyes using optical coherence elastography (OCE) imaging. Low-amplitude (<1µm) elastic waves were generated using micro air-pulse stimulation and the resulting wave amplitude and speed were measured using phase-stabilized swept-source OCE. OCE imaging following CXL treatment demonstrates increased corneal stiffness through faster elastic wave propagation speeds and lower wave amplitudes.
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, College of Optometry, 505 J. Davis Armistead Building, Houston, Texas 77204-2020, USA ; University of Houston, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77004, USA.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Twa
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77004, USA.
authors.forename: Jiasong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, College of Optometry, 505 J. Davis Armistead Building, Houston, Texas 77204-2020, USA.
authors.forename: Srilatha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vantipalli
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77004, USA.
authors.forename: Manmohan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 107 W. Dean Keeton Street Stop C0800, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Salavat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aglyamov
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 107 W. Dean Keeton Street Stop C0800, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Stanislav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Emelianov
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77004, USA ; Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Kirill V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Larin
keywords: (110.4500) Optical coherence tomography; (170.0170) Medical optics and biotechnology; (170.4580) Optical diagnostics for medicine; (170.6935) Tissue characterization