Influence of Scleral Microstructure on Lamina Cribrosa Strain - A Computational Study

Purpose: The biomechanical behavior of ocular tissues such as the peripapillary sclera and lamina cribrosa (LC) may be involved in the onset and development of glaucoma. The microstructure (e.g., collagen orientation) of these tissues will undoubtedly play a major role in determining the ability of these tissues to protect the delicate optic nerve passing through the scleral canal. Our purpose here was to implement experimentally derived microstructural information into a microstructurally-based finite model of posterior ocular head tissues and use this model to parametrically investigate how alterations in scleral microstructure affect LC mechanical strains.