Mathematical modeling and simulation of coupled aqueous humor flow and temperature distribution in a realistic 3D human eye geometry

TL;DR

This paper develops a detailed 3D computational model to simulate aqueous humor flow and heat transfer in the human eye, providing insights into ocular physiology and potential clinical applications.

Contribution

The study introduces a comprehensive 3D simulation of eye fluid dynamics and temperature distribution, incorporating postural effects and shear stress analysis for the first time.

Findings

Model accurately predicts fluid velocity, pressure, and temperature distributions.

Postural changes significantly affect fluid flow and shear stress.

Results align well with existing numerical studies.

Abstract

We present a comprehensive computational model to simulate the coupled dynamics of aqueous humor flow and heat transfer in the human eye. To manage the complexity of the model, we make significant efforts in meshing and efficient solution of the discrete problem using high-performance resources. The model accurately describes the dynamics of the aqueous humor in the anterior and posterior chambers and accounts for convective effects due to temperature variations. Results for fluid velocity, pressure, and temperature distribution are in good agreement with existing numerical results in the literature. Furthermore, the effects of postural changes and wall shear stress behavior are analyzed, providing new insights into the mechanical forces acting on ocular tissues. Overall, the present contribution provides a detailed three-dimensional simulation that enhances the understanding of ocular physiology and may contribute to further progress in clinical research and treatment optimization in ophthalmology.