Biaxial Mechanical Testing of Human Sclera

This study quantified the biaxial mechanical properties of human sclera to better understand the biomechanical environment of the optic nerve head, a region implicated in glaucoma. Using planar biaxial testing, scleral samples from multiple ocular quadrants were subjected to physiologically relevant stresses and fit to a Fung-type constitutive model. Results demonstrated that human sclera exhibits nonlinear, near-isotropic mechanical behavior with substantial heterogeneity both within and between individuals. No significant dependence of stiffness on tissue thickness or sample location was observed. These findings provide critical material parameters for computational modeling of ocular biomechanics and glaucoma-related tissue loading.