The morphological and biochemical changes in the sclera after exposure to the laser diode. Experimental study

Purpose. To investigate the morfologicl and biomechanical changes in the sclera after exposure to diode laser in the experiment.Material and methods. The study included 12 isolated fragments of human cadaver sclera of 12 eyes aged 60 to 70 years. [Axial length (AL) is 23.56±3.06mm (20.05-26.62)]. Exclusion criteria were: eye injuries, surgical interventions before, as well as the general anamnesis of medical illness. Samples of sclera were cut out with a microsurgical blade from the posterior pole of the eye, then the scleral fragments were exposed to the diode laser ALOD-1 (Russia) (energy E=900mJ, exposure time 5sec). Fragments of the sclera treated earlier by the laser were cultivated in the medium and then transported to a laboratory for biomechanical testing on an Instron testing machine, and morphological studies using electron microscope Quanta 200 3D.Results. The study of biomechanical properties of posterior pole of sclera after the exposure to diode laser showed an increase in strength and indices Jung’s modulus (JM) in all tissue samples regardless of the refraction of the eye. The morphological studies using the electron microscope Quanta 200 3D. diode laser exposure leads to pronounced morphological changes in the scleral tissue.Conclusions. Strength properties of samples of scleral tissue after the exposure to the diode laser increased by 30% in all persons (regardless of the refraction of the eye), which may be relevant for the development of new methods in treatment of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. The lowest biomechanical characteristics are detected in the fragments of the myopic type sclera that causes pronounced changes in the biomechanical status initially in comparison with other types of refraction. Modeling of the biomechanical properties (JM, strength) in the most prognostically dangerous areas (the posterior pole of the eye), enables a future development of a method of invasive impact on the fibrous membrane of the eye in open-angle glaucoma.