Experimental research on intraocular aqueous flow by PIV method

BACKGROUND: Aqueous humor flows regularly from posterior chamber to anterior chamber, and this flow much involves intraocular pressure, the eye tissue nutrition and metabolism. PURPOSE: To visualize and measure the intraocular flow regular pattern of aqueous humor. METHOD: Intraocular flow in the vitro eyeball is driven to simulate the physiological aqueous humor flow, and the flow field is measured by Particle Image Velocimetry(PIV). Fluorescent particle solution of a certain concentration was infused into the root of Posterior Chamber(PC) of vitro rabbit eye to simulate the generation of aqueous and was drained out at a certain hydrostatic pressure from the angle of Anterior Chamber(AC) to represent the drainage of aqueous. PIV method was used to record and calculate the flow on the midsagittal plane of the eyeball. RESULTS: Velocity vector distribution in AC has been obtained, and the distribution shows symmetry feature to some extent. Fluorescent particle solution first fills the PC as it is continuously infused, then surges into AC through the pupil, flows upwards toward the central cornea, reflecting and scattering, and eventually converges along the inner cornea surface towards the outflow points at the periphery of the eyeball. Velocity values around the pupillary margin are within the range of 0.008-0.012 m/s, which are close to theoretical values of 0.0133 m/s, under the driving rate of 100 μl/min. CONCLUSIONS: Flow field of aqueous humor can be measured by PIV method, which makes it possible to study the aqueous humor dynamics by experimental method. Our study provides a basis for experimental research on aqueous humor flow; further, it possibly helps to diagnose and treat eye diseases as shear force damage of ocular tissues and destructions on corneal endothelial cells from the point of intraocular flow field.