Temperature and heat flux density of the eye surface in healthy individuals

Abstract

Purpose. To study the temperature and heat flux (HF) density of the ocular surface of healthy individuals. Setting/Venue. 1. The Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy, Odesa, Ukraine. 2. Institute of Thermoelectricity, Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Methods. This pilot study included 22 healthy individuals (44 eyes) from 18 to 86 years. Measurement of temperature and HF density were performed on the surface of the cornea of both eyes. Optical coherence tomography was performed to determine the subfoveal thickness of the choroid. Results. The mean room temperature was 21.5 ± 0.8 °С. The mean temperature of the ocular surface and mean HF density from the human eye were 34.7 ± 0.7 °С and 7.5 ± 1.2 mW/cm², respectively. We found that the HF density decreased with age in healthy subjects (r = - 0.5; p = 0,000). The thickness of the choroid averaged 307 ± 37 μm. There was a positive correlation between the thickness of the choroid with the HF density (r = 0.6; p = 0.000) in contrast to the temperature of the cornea (r = 0.2; p = 0.1). Conclusions. In healthy people, the density of the HF of the eye depends on the age and subfoveal thickness of the choroid. Financial disclosure: no any financial interest