Abstract
Objective: To measure the expansion degree and dehydration rate of isolated corneal stromal lens and analyze the factors that affect dehydration rate to provide reference for analyzing the water content and fluid mechanics of the cornea and evaluating the optimal corneal exposure time
Methods: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to measure the thickness of the stromal lens obtained via small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery. The expansion degree of the stromal lens in balanced salt solution was calculated, and the change in the central thickness of the isolated stromal lens over time was recorded. The thickness–time dehydration fitting trend line was drawn, and the determination coefficient (R2) and dehydration rate were calculated. Whether differenceexisted in the dehydration rate of lenses with different diopter ranges was determined, and the effects of age, gender, and edema degree on dehydration rate were analyzed.
Results: A significant difference was found between the thickness measured for the first time and the predicted thickness. The expansion degrees of the thin and thick lens groups were 2.05±0.33 and 1.91±0.19, respectively. The linear fitting trend line was drawn, and the mean R2 values of the thick and thin lens groups were 0.98423 and 0.988221, respectively. A difference existed in the dehydration rate between the thin and thick lens groups, and dehydration rate exhibited no correlation with age, sex, and edema degree.
Conclusions: The water loss process is linear in 15 min, and water loss is slower in thick lens than in thin lens. Age, sex, and expansion degree exert no effect on dehydration rate.