Ocular needle guide and method to facilitate access to an eye

An ocular needle guide for access into a space below a sclera of an eye, the ocular needle guide comprising:

• a first body portion having a first contact surface and a needle guide surface, the needle guide surface extending about a needle axis to define a needle guide channel, the needle guide channel extending through the housing to an opening defined by the first contact surface;
• and
• a second body portion having a second contact surface, the second contact surface extending at least partially along a contact plane,
• the first body portion being movable relative to the second body portion such that the ocular needle guide is transitionable between an alignment position and an open position, wherein in the alignment position, the first contact surface and the second contact surface define a cavity, the needle guide channel opens to the cavity via the opening, and the needle axis is substantially parallel to the contact plane, and wherein in the open position, the needle axis is angularly offset from the contact plane.

A method of delivering a therapeutic agent to the eye, the method comprising:

• positioning an ocular needle guide on the eye, the ocular needle guide comprising a housing having a contact surface and a needle guide surface, the contact surface defining a cavity within the housing, the contact surface extending at least partially along a contact plane, the needle guide surface extending about a needle axis to define a needle guide channel, the needle guide channel extending through the housing to an opening defined by the contact surface such that the needle guide channel opens to the cavity via the opening, the needle axis being substantially parallel to the contact plane,
• wherein when the ocular needle guide is positioned on the eye, a portion of a sclera of the eye is positioned within the cavity, and a surface of the eye contacts the contact surface;
• and
• after positioning the ocular needle guide on the eye, inserting a needle through the needle guide channel through the sclera.

An ocular needle guide for access into a space below a sclera of an eye, the ocular needle guide comprising:

• a housing having a first contact surface and a post guide surface, the first contact surface defining a cavity within the housing, and the post guide surface defining a post channel within the housing;
• and
• a post positioned at least partially within the post channel, the post having a second contact surface and a needle guide surface, the needle guide surface extending about a needle axis through the post to define a needle guide channel, the needle guide channel having an opening defined by the second contact surface, the needle axis having a distal axis portion that extends substantially linearly from a location within the need guide channel through the opening, the distal axis portion of the needle axis being substantially parallel to at least a portion of the first contact surface,
• wherein the post is movable within the post channel to define a first depth position within the cavity and a second depth position within the cavity, wherein in the first depth position the distal axis portion of the needle axis is spaced from the substantially parallel portion of the first contact surface by a first depth distance, and in the second depth position the distal axis portion of the needle axis is spaced from the substantially parallel portion of the first contact surface by a second depth distance that is different than the first depth distance.