Noninvasive Optical Monitroing of Water Movement Through Rabbit Cornea

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose:The feasibility of application of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for real–time non–invasive assessment of water movement in rabbit cornea following topical application of hypertonic or hypotonic agents by accurate measurements of corneal in–depth light backscatter distribution (CDLBD) was investigated. Methods: Rabbit corneas were subjected in vivo to dehydration and rehydration using one drop of hypertonic or hypotonic agents. OCT was used to monitor CDLBD continuously following perturbation of cornea. Results: Perturbation induced in the CDLBD by transport of fluid across the cornea were noninvasively and quantitatively monitored using OCT allowing for the estimation of speed of fluid movement within the cornea as well as estimation of changes in local corneal hydration. Hydration or dehydration induced optical perturbation was propagated across a rabbit’s cornea at an approximate rate of 1 µm per second. Conclusions: In vivo corneal light backscatter monitoring by OCT could be used to visualize the movement of water inside the cornea in real–time. Perturbation induced in the in–depth distribution of corneal backscattered light can be used for non–invasive quantitative monitoring of fluid transport across the cornea.

Keywords: cornea: basic science • cornea: tears/tear film/dry eye • cornea: epithelium