Quantitative mapping of collagen fiber orientation in non-glaucoma and glaucoma posterior human sclerae.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The posterior sclera has a major biomechanical influence on the optic nerve head, and may therefore be important in glaucoma. Scleral material properties are influenced significantly by collagen fiber architecture. Here we quantitatively map fiber orientation in non-glaucoma and glaucoma posterior human sclerae.

Methods

Wide-angle x-ray scattering quantified fiber orientation at 0.5-mm intervals across seven non-glaucoma post-mortem human sclerae, and five sclerae with glaucoma history and confirmed axon loss. Multiphoton microscopy provided semiquantitative depth-profiling in the peripapillary sclera.

Results

Midposterior fiber orientation was either uniaxial (one preferred direction) or biaxial (two directions). The peripapillary sclera was characterized by

SUBMITTER: Pijanka JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3416032 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature