Extraocular Biomechanics

Gaze Mechanics Simulation

Project aim is to analyze the biomechanics of the eye and surrounding tissues, and to embody the analysis in a model useful to researchers and clinicians who deal with eye movement and its disorders. The Orbit™ model incorporates physiologic results from the EOM Force and Extraocular Tissue Architecture studies, and results from other laboratories. Orbit can simulate classical strabismus syndromes and data from individual cases, providing tests of the model and clarifying diagnostic and treatment possibilities, in well-defined physiologic terms.

Orbit is a tool for analysis of mechanical and innervational factors in eye alignment. It offers a pair of model eyes in which to express supposed causes of motility disorders and proposed treatments, and a simulated eye alignment test, which shows how the modified eyes behave. Orbit's model eye is a biomechanical model: it is modified by changing properties, such as innervations, globe dimensions, and muscle insertions, lengths, stiffnesses, and contractile forces. Thus, Orbit is related to the ophthalmotropes of Ruete (1845), Wundt (1862), and others, a significant advantage being that its behavior is constrained only by knowledge of orbital mechanics, and not by the materials and mechanisms feasible in a physical model.

See Also

	Orbit 1.8™ Gaze Mechanics Simulation – This commercial-quality Macintosh OS9 application, despite its age, remains the "gold standard" for analysis of human extraocular static mechanics. It runs well under OS-X in Classic mode, apart from the "Parameter Fitting" function, which does not work. Note, too, that Classic mode is not supported in Intel Macs. "Orbit18.zip" will appear in your browser's download folder [2.0MB].
	The Orbit 1.8™ User's Manual – Intended to acccompany Orbit 1.8, this detailed manual should be of use to anyone interested in extraocular biomechanics and strabismus. File name is Orbit18-UserManual.pdf [5.2MB].
	Orbit Movies – QuickTime™ movies, created with Orbit, show normal and abnormal eyes looking in various directions. "Orbit-Movies.zip" will appear in your browser's download folder [4.6MB].
	Extraocular Biomechanics Publications from our lab.
	Extraocular Biomechanics & Oculomotor Control Publications from elsewhere.

Page updated 3/8/07