Age-Related Variations of Rabbit Corneal Geometrical and Clinical Biomechanical Parameters

PURPOSE: To study the variations in corneal clinical biomechanical parameters (CCBP) and corneal geometrical parameters of rabbit in relation to age. METHODS: Rabbits aged 3, 7, 12, 18, and 24 months were enrolled. Each eye of the rabbits was tested with Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), and Pachymeter to obtain the intraocular pressure (IOP): Goldmann-correlated IOP (IOPg) and Corneal Compensated Intraocular Pressure (IOPcc); CCBP: Corneal Hysteresis (CH) and Corneal Resistance Factor (CRF); corneal geometric parameters: corneal curvature radius (CCR) and central corneal thickness (CCT). RESULTS: The IOP of the rabbits changes slightly from 3 to 7 months of age, while it significantly decreases from 7 to 18 months of age and increases from 18 to 24 months of age; CH and CRF decrease with the increase of age; CCT increases from 7 to 18 months and decreases from 3 to 7 months of age and from 18 to 24 months of age; CCR presents an upward trend from 3 to 18 months and a significant decrease between 18 and 24 months of age. CONCLUSION: CH and CRF are negatively correlated with age. CCT and CCR are positively correlated with age.