(430e) Therapeutic Strengthening of Ocular Tissues

Motivated by ocular diseases such as keratoconus and degenerative myopia in which the cornea and sclera, respectively, gradually elongate, we have developed methods to therapeutically strengthen ocular tissue with the goal of preventing progressive deformation. Previous research in other laboratories and in the clinic indicated collagen crosslinking is an efficacious approach to the treatment of keratoconus. By applying principles of mass transfer, photochemical reaction kenetics and biopolymer rheology, our research has revealed the potential for faster and safer treatments. Photo-rheological measurements of gelatin models have provided the ability to study the reaction kinetics, reaction mechanisms, and treatment parameter space while reducing the use of animal tissue. Studies of drug diffusion and partitioning in the cornea and sclera provide the basis for predicting drug delivery to the tissue. An intact globe expansion method has validated the increase in mechanical stability of the ocular globe in an animal model after treatment in vitro. The various tools and methods developed to characterize therapeutic strengthening can also be used to screen new drugs, understand their mechanism of action, and optimize accordingly.