Simulation of Aqueous Humour Flow Driven by Buoyancy Effects and Flow Through Pupil Aperture During Descemet Membrane Detachment

Abstract

Descemet membrane detachment (DMD) is a tear or break on the Descement

membrane (DM) which is a part of the cornea membrane. DMD is occurred when DM

separate from stroma. The separation is due to the aqueous humour (AH) flows into

the subspaces between the stroma and DM. A mathematical model of buoyancy driven

AH flow is developed to analyse the behaviour of the fluid flows through the pupil

aperture in anterior chamber (AC) during DMD. Finite element method using COMSOL

Multiphysics 5.2 is implemented to simulate the buoyancy driven flow of AH enters the

AC across pupil aperture and leaves through Trabecular meshwork (TM) during DMD.

Results are obtained for the eye in standing and supine position. The effects considered

is the temperature differences between the cornea and iris that act as the driver of AH

flow, variation of pupil size indicate the different level of ambient light and the

influence of gravity on the deformation of DMD. Buoyancy effect is observed to be the

dominant driven mechanism of AH flow in AC. Variation of pupil size has no effect on

the pattern of the fluid flow in AC. The standing and supine position of human are able

to change the recirculation pattern of AH in the AC. Therefore, the reattachment of

DMD is significantly affected by the body position of the patient.