Peripapillary sclera architecture revisited: A tangential fiber model and its biomechanical implications.

ABSTRACT: The collagen fiber architecture of the peripapillary sclera (PPS), which surrounds the scleral canal, is a critical factor in determining the mechanical response of the optic nerve head (ONH) to variations in intraocular pressure (IOP). Experimental and clinical evidence point to IOP-induced deformations within the scleral canal as important contributing factors of glaucomatous neural tissue damage and consequent vision loss. Hence, it is imperative to understand PPS architecture and biomechanics. Current consensus is that the fibers of the PPS form a closed ring around the canal to support the delicate neural tissues within. We propose an alternative fiber architecture for the PPS, in which the scleral canal is supported primarily by long-running fibers oriented tangentially to the canal.

SUBMITTER: Voorhees AP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6400072 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature