D.U.Quark
Abstract
After death, the eyes change physically and chemically in ways that can be measured over time. The postmortem analysis of the changes in the eyes has the potential to become a major contributor to estimating a postmortem interval (PMI). This review will focus on three changes in the eye used to estimate PMI. These include the physical features, the temperature, and the vitreous fluid of the eye. These changes have specific correlations with PMI. This allows for the development of mathematical formulas and standards for use in criminal investigations. However, the validity of the method and an investigation’s evidence can be affected by outside influences on postmortem changes. Three examples of these influences are ambient temperature, application time, and diseases. These are not completely understood by pathologists. Understanding these influences on the eyes and other PMI indicators is necessary for producing reliable results in the future.
First Page
14
Last Page
22
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Dangel, L. (2020). The Eyes as a Postmortem Interval Estimation Method. D.U.Quark, 5 (1). Retrieved from https://dsc.duq.edu/duquark/vol5/iss1/3