New paper: Rotation asymmetry of the human sclera


In order to characterize the mean topographical shape of the human sclera of a normal eye forty-five participants aged 19 to 45 years were measured with a corneo-scleral topographer (Eye Surface Profiler). For each 3D map, the sclera (maximum diameter of 16 mm) and cornea were automatically separated at the level of the limbus. The remaining 3D scleral ring was further fit to a quadratic function and the elevation difference between the original and fit data was calculated. Horizontally, the nasal area of the sclera showed less elevation than the temporal area. Vertically, the inferior area of the sclera was slightly less elevated than the superior area, but this difference was not statistically different. Besides, the asymmetry of the sclera was found to increase with radial distance from the corneal apex. No statistically significant differences were found between right and left eye. Human scleras are therefore rotationally asymmetric and their shape vary considerably between subjects.

Consejo A, Llorens-Quintana C, Bartuzel MM, Iskander DR, Rozema JJ. Rotation asymmetry of the human sclera. Acta Ophthalmol. 2018 (DOI: 10.1111/aos.13901).