Measurement of intraocular pressure
AssigneeMassachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
InventorEleftherios Ilios Paschalis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for measuring intraocular pressure in an eye of a patient includes a sensor configured to be positioned in the eye of the patient. The sensor includes a sealed cavity, and a flexible membrane sealing a distal end of the sealed cavity, the flexible membrane configured to deflect responsive to the intraocular pressure in the eye of the patient. The system includes a detection device configured to be positioned external to the eye of the patient and optically coupled to the sensor, the detection device configured to detect an indication of change in length of the sealed cavity resulting from deflection of the flexible membrane.
Claims24
A system for measuring intraocular pressure in an eye of a patient, the system comprising:
- a sensor configured to be positioned in the eye of the patient, the sensor comprising:
- a sealed cavity, and
- a flexible membrane sealing a distal end of the sealed cavity, the flexible membrane configured to deflect responsive to the intraocular pressure in the eye of the patient;
- and
- a detection device configured to be positioned external to the eye of the patient, the detection device configured to detect an indication of change in length of the sealed cavity resulting from deflection of the flexible membrane,
- the detection device comprising an optical fiber having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the optical fiber configured to be optically coupled to the sensor.
A device for measuring intraocular pressure in an eye of a patient, the device comprising:
- an optical fiber having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the optical fiber configured to be optically coupled to a detection device external to the eye of the patient;
- a pressure sensor disposed at a distal end of the optical fiber, the pressure sensor comprising:
- a sealed cavity, wherein a proximal end of the sealed cavity is sealed with a semitransparent, reflective material, and
- a flexible membrane sealing a distal end of the sealed cavity, the flexible membrane configured to deflect responsive to the intraocular pressure in the eye of the patient,
- wherein deflection of the flexible membrane causes a change in a length of the sealed cavity.
A method for measuring intraocular pressure in an eye of a patient, the method comprising:
- optically coupling a detection device to a sensor positioned in the eye of the patient, the sensor comprising:
- a sealed cavity, and
- a flexible membrane sealing a distal end of the sealed cavity, the flexible membrane configured to deflect responsive to the intraocular pressure in the eye of the patient, wherein deflection of the flexible membrane causes a change in length of the sealed cavity, and
- the detection device comprising an optical fiber having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the optical fiber configured to be optically coupled to the sensor;
- detecting a resonance frequency of light in the sealed cavity, the frequency of light depending on the length of the sealed cavity;
- and
- determining the intraocular pressure in the eye of the patient based on the resonance frequency of light in the sealed cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.