Advancing glaucoma research with multiphysics continuum mechanics modelling: Opportunities and open challenges

TL;DR

This review highlights the potential of multiphysics continuum mechanics models to enhance understanding and treatment of glaucoma by simulating ocular fluid dynamics and physical phenomena, complementing data-driven approaches.

Contribution

It discusses the opportunities and challenges of applying physics-based continuum mechanics models to address key issues in glaucoma research and treatment.

Findings

Models have improved understanding of ocular fluid flow in glaucoma.

Multiphysics frameworks can address surgical device design and drug delivery.

Physics-based models complement AI in glaucoma research.

Abstract

This review examines the emerging role of mechanistic mathematical models based on continuum mechanics to address current challenges in glaucoma research. At present, the advent of Artificial Intelligence and data-based models have resulted in significant progress in drug candidate screening, target identification and delivery optimization for glaucoma treatment. Physics-based models on the other hand offer mechanistic insight by modelling fundamental physical knowledge. Mechanistic models, and specifically those based on continuum mechanics, have the potential to contribute to a better understanding of glaucoma through the description of intraocular fluid dynamics, mass and heat transfer and other basic physical phenomena. So far, these models have expanded our understanding of ocular fluid dynamics, including descriptions of fluid flow profiles within the anterior chamber of the eye under glaucomatous conditions. With the ongoing development of multiphysics modelling frameworks, there is increasing potential to apply these tools to a wide range of current challenges within the field of glaucoma research. These challenges include glaucoma drainage devices, minimally invasive surgical procedures, therapeutic contact lenses, laser-based interventions like peripheral iridotomy, and the design and optimization of biodegradable drug-releasing intracameral implants, which support patient-specific strategies for glaucoma diagnosis and treatment