Ocular self-treatment apparatus and method

#This invention is directed to an apparatus and method for facilitating the self-application of liquid treatment material to an eye and, in particular, to an apparatus that effects a reorientation of the line of sight to simplify and faciltate self-application of ocular treatment or care material.

#Frequently, the elderly are the recipients of ocular treatment. In general, the elderly may have poor near vision and may also suffer from tremors and finger arthritis. For this reason, when liquid medicament must be applied to the eyes of an elderly individual, it generally must be applied by a third party in 70% of all patients according to a KASS study. For that reason, such treatments often have a rather low rate of compliance despite the importance of treating eye disease with regular treatments of medication.

#Self-administration of eye medicine is generally difficult or improperly administered because the patient is required to place drops of liquid medicine on the eye with accuracy and delicacy. A major difficulty is that when looking in a mirror, it is only possible to apply eye drops in the vicinity of the cornea which is the most sensitive part of the eye. An additional drawback is that when liquid is placed in the vicinity of the cornea, it is quickly eliminated through the lacrimal duct with a corresponding lack of effectiveness of the administered drug.

#For a fuller understranding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the effect of the instant invention;

#FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a patient wearing an ocular self-treatment device constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the instant invention;

#FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the deviation or refraction of a visual beam by interposing a prism 10, of appropriate angular deviation, in a patient's line of sight A, between a pupil 20, of a pateient's eye and a mirror 30. Deviating the line of sight, as shown in FIG. 1, allows the patient to directly observe the area of the inferior conjunctival cul-de-sac 40. The cul-de-sac region is uncovered if the eyeball is rotated upwards prior to everting the lower eyelid 45. By deviating the line of light, utilizing prism 10, a patient can ensure that he has properly everted his lower eyelid 45 to expose cul-de-sac 40 and has also ensured that the medication flows to cul-de-sac 40.

#Referring generally to FIG. 2, a patient wearing an ocular self-treatment apparatus, constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is depicated generally at 35. Apparatus 35 includes a support frame, indicated generally at 50. Frame 50 includes a pair of temple rods 52 (one shown). Each temple rod includes an ear hook 54 for supporting and for steadying apparatus 35. Frame 50 also includes a bridge 56 to rest and steady frame 50 on the nose of the patient. To divert the line of sight and allow a patient to observe the area of the conjunctival cul-de-sac 40, frame 50 supports a pair of prismatic lenses 60 (one shown). Together, prismatic lenses 60 and frame 50 form a pair of prismatic spectacles.

#Ocular treatment material is stored in a dispenser, indicated generally at 70, in FIGS. 2 and 3, with similar structures identically numbered. Ocular treatment material is stored in a reservoir 72 of dispenser 70. The material stored in reservoir 72 is administered to the eye through a nozzle 74. Either temple rod 52 or both temple rods 52 support a semicylindrical dispenser support tray 58 for removably mounting dispenser 70 on frame 50.