Mechanical analysis of eyelid morphology

Liangliang Zhu
a
, Xi Chen
a,b,
a
International Center for Applied Mechanics, SV Laboratory, School of Aerospace, Xian Jiaotong University, Xian 710049, Peoples Republic of China
b
Columbia Nanomechanics Research Center, Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
a r t i c l e i n f o
Article history:
Received 24 October 2012
Received in revised form 10 March 2013
Accepted 2 April 2013
Available online xxxx
Keywords:
Eyelid
Folding
Wrinkle
Thin lm
a b s t r a c t
From a mechanical instability perspective a double eyelid is a double-folded thin lm structure on a
curved substrate, caused by compression as the lm slides on the substrate. The underlying mechanics
issues, in particular the requirements for forming a double folded structure, are studied using a modeling/
simulation framework. A minimalist model is employed to explore the wrinkle to fold transition. Rened
and enriched models are further developed based on anatomical structures, which demonstrate three
critical factors for the formation of double layer folding of the eyelid. First, a crease line in the eyelid
is essential where the local bending rigidity is relatively weak. Second, the skin above the crease line
should be thin and wide enough. Third, the skin below the crease line should have a relatively large effec-
tive stiffness so it can be lifted as a whole when the eyes open. When the eye is opened beyond about 40%
of its initial wrinkle wavelength, the double-folded structure emerges. Various types of eyelid morphol-
ogies are discussed based on the mechanistic model. The study provides useful insights for surgery, cos-
metics, and morphogenesis, as well as microfabrication.
2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
Eyelids are one of the most noticeable characteristics and
beauty measures of human beings and animals. Eyelids can be
either single or multiple folded, and among them, double folded
eyelids (also referred to as the double eyelid below) are often re-
garded as the most elegant and beautiful, with a stronger ability
to express various emotions. From a mechanical instability per-
spective the double eyelid is a double folded thin lm structure
on a curved substrate, caused by compression as the lm slides
on the substrate when the eye opens. The mechanism of formation
is quite different from the wrinkling of thin lms on curved sub-
strates [1], and the mechanical basis for double eyelids remains
unexplored. Several previous studies [24] indicated that a ber-
linked structure between the eyelid skin and levator aponeurosis
may be essential for the formation of a double eyelid. A magnetic
resonance imaging study of the upper eyelid [5] showed that the
double eyelid skin is folded near the junction between the thick
skin with subcutaneous fat and the thin skin without it. All these
ndings were based on anatomy, without a detailed mechanistic
study.
Buckling of thin lms has been applied to explain various mor-
phologies of natural and biological systems. Green [6,7] pioneered
the biophysical explanation of the patterns commonly observed in
plant shoots and owers, and proposed the hypothesis that buck-
ling of the compressed tunica is the governing mechanism deter-
mining the local phyllotactic pattern. The phyllotaxis and
wrinkling of leaves can be also explained using buckling theory
[811]. The morphologies of quite a few fruits, vegetables, cells, tis-
sues, and animal skins may be attributed to wrinkling of thin lms
on curved substrates [1,1214]. Nevertheless, in all these studies
the thin lm remains bonded to the substrate and the wrinkling
prole is quite different from the folded eyelid structure.
This paper aims to bridge this gap by studying the mechanics of
folded lm sliding on a curved substrate. The main focus is to reach
a mechanistic understanding of double eyelid formation, which
can also shed useful light on cosmetics and surgery.
2. Minimalist model of the eyelid
2.1. Model description
A minimalist model is rst established so as to explore the fun-
damental requirements for the formation of a folded eyelid-like
structure. According to the schematic in Fig. 1 a thin lm can be
characterized by x
2
y
2
=a
2
z
2
=b
2
1, with equatorial radius
a, polar radius b (b > a), and thickness t
f
(t
f
<< a). The center angle
of the lm in the xy plane is a. In other words, the geometry of
the lm is a rotating elliptical shell, with the rotation angle de-
noted by a. The lm is assumed to be homogeneous, isotropic,
and elastic, with its Youngs modulus and Poissons ratio, denoted
1742-7061/$ - see front matter 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2013.04.011

Corresponding author at: Columbia Nanomechanics Research Center, Depart-

ment of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY
10027, USA. Tel.: +1 2128543787.
E-mail address: xichen@columbia.edu (X. Chen).
Acta Biomaterialia xxx (2013) xxxxxx
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j.actbio.2013.04.011
E
f
and m
f
, respectively (the material Poissons ratio is xed as 0.3
throughout this article unless otherwise stated, which is a minor
factor in buckling). The lm sits freely on a rigid spheroidal sub-
strate of the same geometrical characteristics; upon loading the
lm can slide on the substrate, and contact between lm and sub-
strate is frictionless. To simulate the process of eye opening the
back line ACB is xed in all directions and the front line ADB is only
allowed to rotate upward around axis AB by an angle D. Such a
boundary condition not only applies to the minimalist model, but
also to the subsequent rened models.
In this study the dominant factors affecting morphological tran-
sition are the geometrical parameters. Quite a few material param-
eters, such as the Youngs modulus, only affect the stress level and
not the wrinkle to fold transition in the current investigation, and
thus they are not specied in the model (including subsequent
more rened models). All important parameters that are critical
to reproduce the results of the current work are given in the paper.
All simulations in this paper were carried out using a nite ele-
ment method (FEM), using the commercial software ABAQUS. Fi-
nite deformation and large rotation are accounted for in the
analysis. The instability problem is studied using a standard bifur-
cation procedure. For each model mesh convergence is carried out
to ensure the accuracy of the results, followed by parametric stud-
ies to explore the factors governing the morphological transitions.
2.2. Wrinkle to fold transition
As a rst example representative geometrical and material
parameters are chosen for a typical eyelid system, listed in Table 1.
With increasing eye opening angle D thin lm deformation
undergoes four stages: prebuckling, wrinkling, the wrinkle to fold
transition and the double folded structure (Fig. 2). In the prebuck-
ling stage (Fig. 2a) the lm retains the same curvature as the sub-
strate surface and experiences in-plane compression. With an
increase in D the hoop stress (r
h
) exceeds the critical buckling
stress (r
c
), and ridged longitudinal wrinkles emerge.
In the wrinkling stage (Fig. 2b) qualitative insights into the
buckle wave number (n) can be obtained from the buckling of an
open and simply supported cylindrical shell (with Poissons ratio
m, radius R, length L, thickness h and angle b) subjected to axial
compression (inset in Fig. 3). To correlate with the minimalist
model m = m
f
, L = aa/(p/2), h = t
f
, and R

ab
p
. Here, R represents
the average radius of the ellipse and L is derived from the equiva-
lence of the surface area of the ellipsoid and cylindrical shells.
The buckle wave number under axi-compression is [15]:
N
L
4pR

M
4
p

M
p
4
q
1
where M
12R
2
1m
2

h
2
, and the corresponding critical buckling strain
is
e
cr

h
R

31 m
2

p : 2
With the present geometrical and material parameters under
consideration the critical value of D
cr
is about 0.157, and such a
small value indicates that wrinkles occur very easily. The wave
number predicted by Eq. (1) is also reasonably close to that ob-
tained from FEM simulation of the minimalist model (Fig. 3), even
when the lm thickness is varied.
With further compression, as shown in Fig. 2c, the wrinkle to
fold transition occurs, where a wave located near the middle of
the lm increases in magnitude and starts to fold, and other waves
gradually diminish. A somewhat similar wrinkle to fold transition
was reported by Pocivavsek et al. [16] for a planar thin polyester
lm on water. At relatively large D the wrinkles disappear com-
pletely, and the double folded structure begins to emerge.
To identify the point when folding localization begins the wrin-
kle amplitude is given as a function of the load in Fig. 4. Here the
dimensionless amplitude is A = W/t
f
and the dimensionless load
is d = D/b
cr
, where W is the average amplitude of the wrinkles at
the equator (except the one which is about to fold) and b
cr
= a/n.
All curves in Fig. 4 are tted from FEM simulations (such as the
case (c) shown herein). Notably, for all cases investigated herein
around
d
1
D=b
cr
0:6 3
the wrinkle amplitude A begins to decay, an indication of the
starting point of the wrinkle to fold transition. Compared with
the wrinkle to fold transition point (0.3) in the work of Pocivavsek
et al.s [16] this number is double for the minimalist model in our
work. This kind of difference makes sense because in the work of
Pocivavsek et al. the gravitational energy of the liquid substrate
saturates long wavelengths of the lm on top of it, while here long
wavelengths are only saturated by the bending and strain energy
of the lm. Hence, the wrinkle to fold transition is delayed in the
present study.
Thereafter the amplitude of the wrinkle declines continuously,
while the fold begins to emerge and grow. Furthermore, around
d
2
D=b
cr
0:8 4
A is suddenly reduced to almost zero, signifying the emergence
of the double folded structure. After that the amplitude of the fold
becomes tangential. Although the deformation during the morpho-
logical transition is large, because a thin lm can be bent far more
easily than stretched [17], the strain remains small during the tran-
sition [16].
The transition from a wrinkle to fold structure is further exam-
ined through the dashed line in Fig. 4, which shows that the in-
plane hoop stress (r
h
) follows a similar trend to the wrinkle ampli-
tude (solid lines). Indeed, folding can localize the stress within a
small area, reliving the average stress, thereby helping to minimize
and stabilize the overall strain energy upon further loading.
Fig. 1. Three-dimensional diagram of the lm in the minimalist model.
Table 1
Representative geometrical and material parameters for an eyelid minimalist model.
Parameter Value
Youngs modulus (E
f
) Not essential (arbitrary)
Poissons ratio (m
f
) 0.3
Equatorial radius (a) (mm) 7.7
Polar radius (b) (mm) 14
Center angle (a) 90
Thickness (t
f
) (mm) 0.03
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Please cite this article in press as: Zhu L, Chen X. Mechanical analysis of eyelid morphology. Acta Biomater (2013), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/
j.actbio.2013.04.011
3. Rened modeling and simulation of a double eyelid
3.1. Rened model for a double eyelid
The minimalist model, although providing some useful insights,
behaves differently to real double eyelids. For example, during the
eye opening process wrinkles are hardly visible and the skin folds
rather easily at an earlier time than that predicted by the minimal-
ist model. Moreover, the crease line of the double eyelid is located
at the superior margin of the fusion zone where the levator apo-
neurosis bers attach to the orbicularis oculi muscle [4], not near
the middle of the lm as in the minimalist model.
In the undeformed (closed eye) conguration the crease line is a
shallow scratch; it is therefore reasonable to model the crease as a
line defect whose bending stiffness is weakened to some extent.
Such a defect is implemented in the rened model and we assume
that the lm patches (skins) above and below the crease line are
simply connected (Fig. 5). In fact, similar phenomena are com-
monly observed in other parts of animal bodies, such as the fold
lines in the palm and joints.
From the anatomical structure of the eyelid (Fig. 5, left) [4] the
following rened model (Fig. 5, right) can be established: Both lm
patches above and below the defect AEB are assumed to be homo-
geneous, isotropic and elastic, with their Youngs moduli, Poissons
ratios and thicknesses denoted E
1
, m
1
and t
1
and E
2
, m
2
and t
2
,
respectively. Note that when the current model is applied to the
double eyelid the relevant geometrical and material parameters
should be regarded as effective (or nominal) variables, because
the true properties of the double eyelid components may be inho-
mogeneous, anisotropic, and form a gradient. We also neglect the
initial stresses in and viscoelastic properties of the skin.
Note that between the eyeball and the eyelid skin there may ex-
ist, in practice, a small void which is lled with a viscous medium,
Fig. 2. Changes in morphology in the minimalist model. (a) Undeformed conguration; (b) D = 6; (c) D = 17; (d) D = 22.
Fig. 3. Comparison between the theoretical predictions and the FEM simulations of
the minimalist model.
Fig. 4. Numerical results of the minimalist model with respect to the wrinkle
amplitude (excluding that which later developed into a fold) (solid lines) and
dimensionless in-plane hoop stress (r
h
/E
f
) (dashed line), where the hoop stress is
averaged at the equator.
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j.actbio.2013.04.011
however, this is relatively small compared with the radius of cur-
vature of the eyelid, and it does not change the fact that the overall
substrate is relatively rigid compared with the lm. Since the leva-
tor aponeurosis is connected to the skin through branched bers
inserting on collagen bers in the subcutaneous tissue [4] the skin
in the area between AEB and ADB can be lifted by the levator mus-
cle of the upper eyelid (this means that E
2
and t
2
are unnecessary
because this part will be considered as a whole). The same spher-
oid rigid substrate (as in the minimalist model) sits below the lm
and contact with the lm is frictionless. The boundary conditions
are similar to those described in the minimalist model, that the
back line ACB is xed and that part below the line AEB rotates up-
ward as a whole around axis AB through an angle Dto simulate the
process of eye opening.
3.2. Morphological transition in the rened model
Using representative geometrical parameters (shown in Table 2)
of a typical eyelid model, as the lm undergoes increased compres-
sion four sequential stages of deformation occur, similar to those in
the minimalist model, yet with important differences in detail. In
the wrinkling stage (Fig. 6b) the number of wrinkles in the upper
area (above the line defect) of the thin lm can still be estimated
by Eq. (1), although the lower area with a higher stiffness does
not buckle. Upon further compression the wrinkle to fold transition
occurs (Fig. 6c). After that the wrinkles disappear while the double
folded structure forms completely at moderately large D.
Similarly to Fig. 4 derived using the minimalist model, in the re-
ned model the average wrinkle amplitude (except the one which
will fold) and the average in-plane hoop stress are given as func-
tions of the dimensionless load in Fig. 7. Around
d
3
D=b
cr
0:1 5
the wrinkle to fold transition begins, as the wrinkle amplitude
starts to decay. And around
d
4
D=b
cr
0:4 6
the double folded structure completely forms, with A reduced to
almost zero. Again, these critical transition values are relatively
insensitive to the geometrical parameters considered herein (cases
ah in Fig. 7).
Apparently the critical points d
3
and d
4
of the rened model oc-
cur much earlier than d
1
and d
2
of the minimalist model, thanks
largely to the line defect in the skin model (line AEB). Under com-
pression the lm tends to fold around the weak region, and both
the wrinkle to fold transition and formation of the double folded
structure become easier.
3.3. Effect of eyelid skin thickness
Since the wrinkle wavelength scales with lm thickness [1], as
the eyelid skin thickness increases in the model the wavelength
during the wrinkling stage becomes larger. If the skin is very thick,
then the wrinkling wavelength may be comparable with or even
exceed the span of the lm, thus making the wrinkle essentially
invisible.
In order to showthe complete transition process fromwrinkling
to the double folded structure more clearly the value of t
1
in Fig. 6
(0.05 mm) is much smaller than the thickness of real eyelid skin.
The real thickness of the eyelid skin is about 0.6 mm [18], which
makes the wrinkling process almost invisible in simulation and is
consistent with the actual eye opening scenario described earlier.
Using the set of geometrical parameters a = 7.7 mm, b = 14 mm,
t
1
= 0.6 mm, b
1
= 90 and b
2
= 30), which are close to reality, FEM
simulation of the rened model effectively reproduces the mor-
phological features of a real double eyelid (Fig. 8). In the case of
thicker skin the normalized load required to form the double
folded structure is still about d
4
= D/b
cr
= 0.4 (see line (j) in Fig. 7)
and there is essentially no visible wrinkle prior to folding.
3.4. Enriched modeling of a double eyelid
A close examination of the anatomical structure of the double
eyelid (Fig. 5, left) shows that the eyelid skin does not uniformly
adhere to the orbicularis oculi muscle and subcutaneous fat. In
the enriched model of the double eyelid the system is divided into
three parts (Fig. 9, top to bottom), which correspond to the purple,
red and blue lines in Fig. 5 (left), numbered below as 3, 1 and 2,
respectively. The line defect is AEB. The double eyelid skin is folded
in area 1 [5], thus the effective Youngs modulus and the thickness
of the upper part (E
3
and t
3
) are much bigger than those of the mid-
dle part (E
1
and t
1
). The lower part (below AEB) is connected to the
levator aponeurosis [4], and will be lifted with the levator muscle
Fig. 5. Anatomic structures of a double eyelid and a single eyelid in an Oriental (left) and a three-dimensional diagram of the lm in the rened model (right). M, Mllers
muscle; ROOF, retro-orbicularis-oculi fat; OF, orbital fat; LA, levator aponeurosis; M, orbicularis oculi muscle.
Table 2
Representative geometrical and material parameters for a rened eyelid model.
Parameters Value
Youngs modulus (E
1
) Arbitrary
Youngs modulus (E
2
) Not essential
Poissons ratio (m
1
, m
2
) 0.3
Equatorial radius (a) (mm) 7.7
Polar radius (b) (mm) 14
Center angle (b
1
) 90
Center angle (b
2
) 30
Thickness (t
1
) (mm) 0.05
Thickness (t
2
) (mm) Not essential
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j.actbio.2013.04.011
as a whole when the eye is opened. Wrinkling and folding only
occur in the middle part of the enriched model.
With the set of parameters a = 7.7 mm, b = 14 mm, t
1
= 0.6 mm,
b
3
= 30, b
1
= 60 and b
2
= 30 the morphology of the enriched
model (Fig. 10) is similar to that of the rened model under com-
pression (Fig. 6d), except that the fold is more distinctive and the
upper section remains unwrinkled. Assuming that the number of
wrinkles (n
0
) in the middle section (part 1) is real, the correspond-
ing center angle of the critical wavelength is
b
cr
b
1
=n
0

4p
2
R
2a

M
4
p

M
p
4
q 7
where M
12R
2
1m
2
1

t
2
1
.
To ensure the formation of the double folded structure b
1
needs
to be larger than a critical load (D
crf
= d
4
b
cr
). According to Eq. (7)
b
cr
is unrelated to b
1
, thus D
crf
is determined only by a, b and t
1
.
For a = 7.7 mm, b = 14 mm and t
1
= 0.6 mmD
crf
is about 44, which
is the minimum requirement for the effective value of b
1
in the
present model. If t
1
increases, D
cr
increases signicantly, which
prohibits folding if D
cr
> b
1
. Therefore, the thinner the middle part
the easier is formation of the double folded eyelid.
If the compliant and thin middle section does not exist then as
the eye opens a crease line forms at the weak interface without
folding. Such examples may be found in the eyelids of some ani-
mals, e.g. horses, crocodiles, and whales, and in the eyelids of some
humans (Fig. 11). These may have the appearance of double
Fig. 6. Change in morphology in the rened model.
Fig. 7. Numerical results of the rened model with respect to the wrinkle
amplitude (excluding that which later developed into a fold) (solid lines) and
dimensionless in-plane hoop stress (r
h
/E
1
) (dashed lines), where the hoop stress is
averaged at the equator. The trends in wrinkle amplitude (solid lines) and hoop
stress (dashed lines) are similar.
Fig. 8. Simulation of a double eyelid (right) and a real one (left).
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eyelids, however, they do not have folds and instead only a deep
groove-like crease, and thus are not a focus of the present study.
4. Discussion: different morphologies of eyelids
4.1. Single eyelids vs. double eyelid: implications for double eyelid
surgery
From a mechanical perspective there are three distinctions be-
tween double and single eyelids according to the present modeling
and simulation based on anatomic structures [4]. First, the single
eyelid can be modeled as a homogeneous thick lm (Fig. 1),
whereas the double eyelid skin contains three parts, with a rela-
tively thin middle region (around which folding occurs, Fig. 9). Sec-
ond, there is a crease line in the double eyelid where the rigidity is
relatively poor. Third, the skin below the crease line can be lifted
with the tarsus as a whole in the double eyelid because it is con-
nected to the levator aponeurosis.
Prominent pre-aponeurotic fat, and the thick orbicularis and
submuscular tissue, is one of most distinctive differences between
the single and double eyelid [19]. In the following FEM simulation
the skin and the subcutaneous tissue of the single eyelid are con-
sidered as a whole, due to their close adhesion, the overall thick-
ness of which is about 4.36 mm [20]. Fig. 12 shows the FEM
simulation of a single eyelid. The single eyelid model is as in
Fig. 1, with the representative geometrical and material parame-
ters a = 7.7 mm, b = 14 mm, t
f
= 4.36 mm, and a = 90. To enable
the transition from a single to a double eyelid (which is often re-
garded as resulting in enhanced beauty), the three mechanical
requirements listed above needs to be satised, in one way or
another.
Many double eyelid surgery techniques [2125] have been
developed since the rst reported operation by Mikamo in Japan
in 1896. Interestingly, these operations have more or less achieved
the three mechanical requirements mentioned above. The partial
incision method [24], for example, involves (a) marking an upper
lid crease (an incision is made through the skin and orbicularis
oculi muscle), (b) the removal of a small amount of fat pad as well
as under skin tissue, and (c) suturing through the levator and skin
edge. The incision made in step (a) is consistent with the second
requirement listed above, and weakens the rigidity along the inci-
sion line. The removal of fat pads and under skin tissue in step (b)
makes the skin above the crease line thinner, satisfying the rst
requirement described above. Finally, the sutures connect the skin
and the levator, which ensures that the skin below the crease line
can be lifted as a whole when the eye opens, which echoes the
third requirement mentioned above. Therefore, the mechanical
model and simulation framework developed in this study may be-
come useful in guiding and optimizing double eyelid surgery.
Besides double eyelid operations, the employment of double
eyelid ber or double eyelid tape may play a similar mechanical
role. First, double eyelid ber or tape results in the skin around
the upper margin bending (many times over a prolonged period),
weakening the local rigidity and creating a crease line in the eyelid,
thereby satisfying the second requirement above. Second, when
double eyelid ber or tape is applied to the skin surface the subcu-
taneous fat above the crease line is under compression and after a
prolonged period the subcutaneous fat is reduced and the skin be-
comes thinner, meeting the rst requirement mentioned above.
The adhesion of tape can also make the eyelid skin below the
crease line thicker, which helps to move the lower part as a whole
as the eye skin is lifted, similarly to the third requirement de-
scribed above. Again, this mechanistic study may provide helpful
insights in the development of cosmetics.
4.2. Inner double eyelid vs. outer double eyelid
In the case of an inner double-eyelid when the eye is opened the
lower part (part 2 in Fig. 9) is completely folded inside and be-
comes almost invisible, whereas when an outer double eyelid is
opened a section of the lower part is exposed (Fig. 13). Apparently,
the height of the crease line is a critical factor that distinguishes in-
ner and outer double eyelids. From the perspective of mechanics it
is decided by the relative sizes of the double folded skin (corre-
sponding angle b
1
/2, assuming that the middle part is fully double
folded and neglecting the loss of angle caused by skin bending) and
the skin below the crease line (b
2
). If b
2
> b
1
/2 an outer double eye-
lid is preferred, otherwise an inside double eyelid is favored.
Statistically, most Occidentals possess double eyelids, while sin-
gle eyelid or inner double eyelids are present in the majority of Ori-
entals. However, the anatomical structures of the double eyelid
show few differences between Orientals and Occidentals [26].
Fig. 9. Three-dimensional diagram of the lm in the enriched model.
Fig. 10. Double layer folding state of the enriched model.
Fig. 11. Deformation shape of the enriched model without the middle section. From left to right, a whale eyelid, a horse eyelid and a human eyelid, which does not form a
double folded eyelid but instead a deep crease.
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The basic mechanism of formation is the same for the double eye-
lids of both Orientals and Occidentals. Future studies are required
to further clarify the differences between races.
4.3. Effect of the size of the eyelid: implications for human growth
If an eye is relatively large (a is large), then b
cr
and D
crf
are small
according to Eq. (7), which makes the formation of a double eyelid
easier. Thus a large eye favors double-eyelids, and if a large eye has
a single-eyelid during surgery a smaller incision can be made and
less fat pad and under skin tissue removed.
The thickness of the upper eyelid skin is not greatly affected by
aging in adults [27]. Assuming that this is also true for children,
and that the value of a/b does not change signicantly during the
growth of children. Then with a proportional increase in a and b
(i.e. growth) b
cr
and D
cr
decrease according to Eq. (7), which means
that the formation of double eyelids will become easier and easier
as children grow up. To some extent this may explain why double
eyelids appear in some children only after they have reached a cer-
tain age.
4.4. Beyond the eyelid: the double folding structure of tortoise neck
skin
Some other biological systems, other than the double-eyelid,
possess a similar double folded structure, for example the tele-
scopic neck of the tortoise. Tortoise neck skin can be considered
as simply connected at a weak circular line (indicated by the red ar-
row in Fig. 14). Similar to the eyelid model, we establish a model
conical shell sitting and sliding on a rigid substrate, which may suc-
cessfully reproduce the formation of the double layer folding in tor-
toise neck skin. Like the double eyelid model, the tortoise neck
model also undergoes four stages of morphological transition:
pre-buckling, wrinkling, the wrinkle to fold transition and the dou-
ble folded structure (Fig. 14). Apparently the double folded struc-
ture allows the tortoise head to stretch out and draw back
exibly without excess pressure caused by compression of the skin.
This principle may also apply to eyelids. We note that some people
possess one eye with a double eyelid and the other with a single
eyelid, and the degree of opening of the double eyelid is greater
than that of the single eyelid (for the same person). As mentioned
above, the single eyelid primarily undergoes compression while,
relatively, the double eyelid should be a much more labor saving
structure. These characteristics of the double eyelid demonstrate
that the double eyelid may not only make the eye look bigger, but
results in the eyelid opening more widely and easily.
5. Concluding remarks
A theoretical/numerical investigation has been performed to
explore the physical mechanisms governing the morphology of
folding of the eyelid, and the ndings are qualitatively consistent
with various observations. The model of the eyelid consists of a
thin lm structure on a curved substrate, caused by compression
as the lm slides on the substrate. As the eye opens the thin lm
undergoes four morphological stages: pre-buckling, wrinkling, the
wrinkle to fold transition and the double folded structure. Folding
occurs so as to localize stress within a small area and reduce/stabi-
lize the overall strain energy upon further compression.
Based on the anatomical structure of the double eyelid our re-
ned modeling shows that there are three critical factors contrib-
uting to the formation of the double eyelid. First, a crease line
(weak line defect) in the eyelid is essential where the rigidity is rel-
atively weak. Second, the skin above the crease line of double eye-
lids should be thin and large enough. Without this condition, the
skin above the crease line may only form a groove and the double
folded structure cannot form, which can be found in some animals
(e.g. horses, crocodiles, and whales) and a few humans. Third, the
skin below the crease line can be lifted as a whole when the eye
opens, i.e. the skin of this area should possess a larger effective
stiffness (at least a factor of one greater than that of the skin above
the crease line). These three requirements are consistent with dou-
ble eyelid surgery, as well as other cosmetic products used to cre-
ate a double eyelid (e.g. double eyelid ber and double eyelid tape).
The double folded structure of the rened model emerges only
when the lm is compressed beyond about 40% of its initial wrin-
kle wavelength during the eye opening process.
A single eyelid can be regarded as a thick homogeneous lm,
without the appearance of wrinkling or folding (given the normal
opening angle of our eyes). Large eyes favor of the formation of
double eyelids. The double-folded structure can also be found in
the neck skin of the tortoise. Using a model of a conical shell sitting
Fig. 12. Simulation of a single eyelid. In the case of a thick lm it is hard to generate a wrinkle and fold, and the skin primarily undergoes compression.
Fig. 13. Simulation of an outer double eyelid and an inner double eyelid.
L. Zhu, X. Chen/ Acta Biomaterialia xxx (2013) xxxxxx 7
Please cite this article in press as: Zhu L, Chen X. Mechanical analysis of eyelid morphology. Acta Biomater (2013), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/
j.actbio.2013.04.011
on a rigid substrate double layer folding in the tortoise neck skin
can be successfully reproduced.
In the present study we employed the simplest model of a pro-
late ellipsoid for the eye, which may be improved in future by tak-
ing into account a triaxial ellipsoid. Moreover, future studies
should investigate the extrudation and retraction of the orbital
fat, and more sophisticated material/structure details based on
anatomical details. Although the model in the present paper re-
mains simple, it serves as a rst step in revealing the primary
mechanism behind a seemingly complicated phenomenon,
through a mechanical analysis that is complementary to traditional
biological views. The few parameter sets adopted herein may be
expanded in future based on anatomical evidence and validated
by biological experiments, to make the model more realistic. The
mechanical framework developed in this paper may provide useful
insights for surgery and cosmetics, as well as using the folding and
double folded structure of thin lms to explain the morphogenesis
and three-dimensional fabrication of microstructures and
microdevices.
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foun-
dation of China (11172231), DARPA (W91CRB-11-C-0112), and the
National Science Foundation (CMMI-0643726).
Appendix Figures. with essential colour discrimination
Certain gures in this article, particularly Figs. 28 and 1014,
are difcult to interpret in black and white. The full colour images
can be found in the on-line version, at doi:http://dx.doi.org/
10.1016/j.actbio.2013.04.011.
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