Bioelectronic lens (e-lens) system for electrical stimulation and neuroprotection of the retina
AssigneeUniversity of Southern California
InventorsMark S. Humayun, Gianluca Lazzi, Bodour Salhia, Manjunath Machnoor, Javad Paknahad, Alejandra Gonzalez-Calle, Ben Yi Tew
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Bioelectronic lens (E-lens) systems for inducing neuroprotective changes in neurons, in particular the retina. A system may include a stimulating electrode configured to be placed on an eye or skin around the eye. The system may further include a return electrode configured such that voltage distribution is focalized to the eye and induced electric fields to an area of interest on the eye or on the skin around the eye are maximized. The electric fields provide neuroprotection and reinnervation.
Claims18
A system for providing electrical stimulation, comprising:
- a circuit configured to generate and wirelessly transmit a charge balanced and load independent stimulation waveform;
- a battery-less passive receiver coil configured to wirelessly receive the stimulation waveform;
- a first stimulating electrode electrically connected to the battery-less passive receiver coil and configured to be placed on a first portion of an eye of a patient and to receive the stimulation waveform;
- a return electrode electrically connected to the battery-less passive receiver coil and configured to be placed on a second portion of the eye such that current or voltage distribution is focalized to the eye and induced electric fields to an area of interest on or into the eye are maximized, wherein the electric fields provide neuroprotection and reinnervation;
- a ground electrically connected to the first stimulating electrode or the return electrode, the ground configured to be placed on a head of the patient, on skin adjacent to the eye or a non-stimulated eye or on a temporal area of the eye or the non-stimulated eye to induce the electric fields;
- and
- a passive electrode not electrically connected to the battery-less passive receiver coil and configured to be placed on the head of the patient to induce the electric fields in a brain and/or an optic nerve of the patient.
A system for providing electrical stimulation, comprising:
- a circuit configured to generate or receive a stimulation waveform;
- a stimulating electrode electrically connected to the circuit and configured to be placed on a first portion of an eye of a patient;
- a return electrode electrically connected to the circuit and configured to be placed on a second portion of the eye, the second portion being posterior to the first portion, such that voltage distribution is focalized to a central nervous system (CNS) and induced electric fields to an area of interest are maximized;
- and
- a passive electrode not electrically connected to the circuit and configured to be placed on a forehead or a back of a head of the patient to induce the electric fields in layers of the CNS,
- wherein the electric fields provide neuroprotection and reinnervation.
A system for providing electrical stimulation, comprising:
- a circuit configured to generate and wirelessly transmit a symmetric biphasic charge-balanced waveform;
- a battery-less passive receiver coil configured to wirelessly receive the symmetric biphasic charge-balanced waveform;
- a stimulating electrode electrically connected to the battery-less passive receiver coil and configured to be placed on a first portion of an eye of a patient;
- a return electrode electrically connected to the battery-less passive receiver coil and configured to be placed on a second portion of the eye such that a current density distribution is maximized along an optic nerve and in a superior colliculus;
- and
- a passive electrode not electrically connected to the battery-less passive receiver coil and configured to be placed on a head of the patient to induce the electric fields in a brain and/or the optic nerve of the patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.