Mario Cvetkovic graduated from the University of Split, Croatia, and has recently passed his MPhil viva at Wessex Institute of Technology with his thesis entitled “Analysis of the Temperature Distribution to the Human Eye Exposed to Laser Radiation”. His external examiner was Dr David Bakewell from University of Liverpool, UK and the internal examiner was Prof Viktor Popov.The objective of this thesis was to study the time dependent temperature field of the human eye exposed to laser radiation. The mathematical model was based on the space-time dependent Pennes' bio-heat transfer equation.
The numerical approach for the calculation of intraocular temperature distribution was based on the Time Domain Finite Element Method (TD-FEM) involving the weak Galerkin-Bubnov formulation of the problem.
The effects of laser wavelength and power to the temperature distribution in the human eye were studied.
The study contemplated both steady and time dependent numerical solutions for different Laser sources such as Ruby, Nd:YAG, Ho:YAG, ArF, and Nd:YLF.
The obtained results compared very well to the results available in the existing literature and to the results obtained with other numerical approaches based on the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) as well as to the Boundary Element Method (BEM).
A sensitivity study contemplating the effect of ambient temperature, the convective heat transfer coefficient, and the laser beam diameter in the cornea was presented.
In addition, this work compiled a collection of absorption coefficients corresponding to various tissues of the human eye. This data was obtained after an exhaustive revision of the currently available literature.
As a result of his research, both examiners recommended that Mario be awarded the degree of Master of Philosophy.
Grateful acknowledgement is given to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for their support.
Wessex Institute