Design of an Automatically Controlled Multi-Axis Stretching Device for Mechanical Evaluations of the Anterior Eye Segment

The young eye has an accommodative ability involving lens shape changes to focus over different distances. This function gradually decreases with age, resulting in presbyopia. Greater insights into the mechanical properties of anterior eye structures can improve understanding of the causes of presbyopia. The present study aims to develop a multi-axis stretching device for evaluating the mechanical properties of the intact eye lens. A stretching device integrating the mechanical stretcher, motor, torque sensor and data transmission mechanism was designed and developed by 3D printing. The mechanical stretcher can convert rotation into radial movement, both at constant speeds, according to the spiral of Archimedes. The loading unit equipped with eight jaws can hold the eye sample tightly. The developed device was validated with a spring of known constant and was further tested with anterior porcine eye segments. The validation experiment using the spring resulted in stiffness values close to the theoretical spring constant. Findings from measurements with porcine eye samples indicated that the measured forces are within the ranges reported in the literature. The developed multi-axis stretching device has good repeatability during experiments with similar settings and can be reliably used for mechanical evaluations of the intact eye lens.