Biomechanical characterization of mouse sclera in myopia

Myopia, or near-sightedness, is a common ocular condition in which the eye elongates excessively. Development of myopia is associated with, and thought to be facilitated by, changes in the biomechanical properties of the sclera (the white part of the eye). We characterized scleral biomechanics in a mouse model of myopia using unconfirmed compression testing and biphasic theory to extract scleral permeability, in- plane scleral tensile modulus, and through-plane scleral compressive modulus. We find that myopia reduces in-plane tensile modulus and permeability, consistent with scleral tissue remodeling. Such biomechanical outcome measures may offer advantages over more traditional assessments of myopia-associated changes in the small mouse eye. © 2019 Tech Science Press. All rights reserved.