A study of biochemical and biomechanical qualities of normal and myopic eye sclera in humans of different age groups.

Abstract

This paper presents an account of a series of parallel experiments aimed at determining the relationship of biochemical and biomechanical qualities of the scleral membrane of the human eye. In all, 59 scleras of humans were tested, including 47 normal scleras of people belonging to different age groups and 12 myopic scleras of mature eyes. It is demonstrated that eye formation in ontogenesis is accompanied by thickening of all scleral regions, especially the posterior region, accumulation of collagen and elastin in the posterior pole par excellence, a reduced share of soluble collagen fractions, a lower content of glycosaminoglycanes in the equatorial region and an increase of tensile strength and elasticity module. The authors distinguish a so-called group of risk marked by a reduced content of collagen in the posterior scleral region as well as a delayed decrease of its soluble fractions with age in the posterior and in the equatorial regions and a diminished tensile strength. For this group, the appearance and progress of myopia is rather probable.