Correlation between corneal and ambient temperature with particular focus on polar conditions. (9th January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Slettedal, Jon Klokk; Ringvold, Amund
• Is Part Of: Acta ophthalmologica. Volume 93:Number 5(2015)
• Page Start: 422
• Page End: 426
• Publication Date: 2015-01-09
• Subjects: Ophthalmology -- Periodicals; 617.7005
• DOI: 10.1111/aos.12657
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1755-375X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="aos12657-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="aos12657-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Purpose</title> <p>To examine the relationship between human corneal and environmental temperature.</p> </sec> <sec id="aos12657-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>An infrared camera was used to measure the corneal surface temperature in a group of healthy volunteers as well as in an experimental setting with donor corneas and an artificial anterior chamber, employing circulating saline at +37°C. Liquid nitrogen was used to obtain a very low temperature in the experimental setting. High ambient temperature measurements were performed in a sauna.</p> </sec> <sec id="aos12657-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>In healthy volunteers, the cornea required at least 20–30 min to adapt to change in ambient temperature. The relationship between corneal and external temperature was relatively linear. At the two extremes, +83°C and −40°C, the corneal temperature was +42°C and +25.1°C, respectively. In the experimental setting, corneal temperature was +24.3°C at air temperature −40°C.</p> </sec> <sec id="aos12657-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>A rather stable aqueous humour temperature of +37°C and high thermal conductivity of the corneal tissue prevent corneal frostbite even at extremely low ambient temperatures.</p> </sec> </abstract>