One dimensional solution for temperature distribution upon corneal surface during laser surgery

Abstract

In this paper the temperature distribution on the corneal surface is computed based on solving a one dimensional Bioheat equation analytically. The computation simplified the geometry into one dimensional form and considered natural convection (from aqueous humor) at the posterior and radiation (from laser source) boundary conditions with consideration of cooling due to evaporation at the anterior. The laser source used here was simplified as a spot of diameter 0.5mm with different frequencies (100Hz, 200Hz, 400Hz and 500Hz). Different temperature distribution forms have been investigated based on changing the boundary conditions. This lead to the fact that the temperature distribution on the papillary axis during laser source affects reshaping (ablating) the cornea thickness. Results show an increase in temperature of ablation with the increase of laser source frequencies. This may suggest a new prototype for increasing the frequency of laser source with the decreasing of energy per pulse (shot) of the laser source.