Experimental research on intraocular aqueous flow by PIV method

BioMedical Engineering OnLine

Hongyu Yang¹  Hongfang Song¹  Xi Mei¹  Lin Li¹  Xineng Fu²  Mindi Zhang²  Zhicheng Liu¹ 

[1] School of Biomedical Engineering, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China

[2] School of Mechanical and Vehicular Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China

关键词: Velocity vector;    Flow field;    PIV;    Aqueous humor flow;   

Others  :  1084884
DOI  :  10.1186/1475-925X-12-108

 received in 2013-04-18, accepted in 2013-10-09,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

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.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Yang et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Figure 4.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]He Y-C, Li X-Y, Zeng Y-J: Ocular biofluid mechanics and transport. J Med Biomech 2007, 22(2):220-225.
• [2]Bill A: Blood circulation and fluid dynamics in the eye. Physiol Rev 1975, 55:383-416.
• [3]Heys JJ, Barocas VH, Taravella MJ: Modeling passive mechanical interaction between aqueous humor and iris. J Biomech Eng 2001, 123:540-547.
• [4]Chen C, Liu X: The progression of the biomechanical study on glaucoma. Beijing Biomed Eng 2007, 26(1):92-94.
• [5]Canning CR, Greaney MJ, Dewynne JN, et al.: Fluid flow in the anterior chamber of a human eye. IMA J Math Appl Med Biol 2002, 19:31-60.
• [6]Fitt AD, Gonzalez G: Fluid mechanics of the human Eye: aqueous humor flow in the anterior chamber. Bull Mathematical Biol 2006, 68:53-71.
• [7]Villamarin A, Sylvain R, Hasballa R, et al.: 3D simulation of the aqueous flow in the human eye. Med Eng Physics 2012, 34:1-8.
• [8]Chekina N, Horak D, Jendelova P, et al.: Fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical applications. J Mater Chem 2011, 21:7630-7639.
• [9]Larson DR, Zipfel WR, Williams RM, et al.: Water-soluble quantum dots for multiphoton fluorescence imaging in vivo. Science 2003, 300(5624):1434-1436.
• [10]Glenny RW: Blood flow measurements using fluorescent microspheres. Analytical Spectros Library 1995, 6:255-280.
• [11]Adrian RJ: Particle-imaging techniques for experimental fluid mechanics. Annu Rev Fluid Mech 1991, 23:261-304.
• [12]Westerweel J: Fundamentals of digital particle image velocimetry. Meas Sci Technol 1997, 8(12):1379-1392.
• [13]Kaji Y, Yamashita M, Sakakibara J, et al.: Visualization of irrigation fluid flow and calculation of its velocity distribution in the anterior chamber by particle image velocimetry. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2012, 250:1023-1027.
• [14]Yuan S, Li Y, Yue T, et al.: Analysis on factors influencing following features of tracer particles in centrifugal pumps. J Mech Eng 2012, 48(20):174-180.
• [15]Mei R: Velocity fidelity of flow tracer particles. Exper Fluids 1996, 22(1):1-13.
• [16]Chi R, Chuan-dong S, Yong-lin B, et al.: The characteristics of the tracer particles used in water flow field for PIV system. J Exper Fluid Mech 2006, 20(2):72-76.
• [17]Willert CE, Gharib M: Digital particle image velocimetry. Exp in Fluids 1991, 10:181-193.
• [18]Sun H-Q, Kang H-G, Li G-W: Theory and application of PIV. J Waterway Harbour 2002, 23(1):42-45.
• [19]McLaren JW: Measurement of aqueous humor flow. Exp Eye Res 2009, 88:641-647.