Ophthalmologic drape and method

A drape for covering the anterior and interior surfaces of the eyelids to protect the eyeball during examination and surgery, comprising:

• a sheet of flexible material for covering portions of a body surface surrounding the eye, said sheet having a central opening therein through which eye examination and surgery is conducted, said flexible sheet material including a first annular region extending upward from said central opening to a section of said sheet material having a planar surface geometry, said first annular region including additional flexible sheet material for extending beneath and covering the underside of the eyelids and said section having a generally planar surface geometry being outside said first annular region, and
• a retainer extending around said central opening and attached to said first annular region of said sheet material for fitting beneath the upper and lower eyelids along the upper and lower palpebral sulci, whereby said retainer holds said sheet material in place beneath the eyelids for spreading outwardly from the eyeball to cover the anterior and interior surfaces of the eyelids.

A drape for covering the anterior and interior surfaces of the eyelids to protect the eyeball during examination and surgery, comprising:

• retaining means insertable beneath the upper and lower eyelids for fitting generally within the upper and lower palpebral sulci, said retaining means being an elongated, curved member having ends which extend adjacent one another to form an expandable loop which is adjustable in length to change the size of said retaining means, the length of said retaining means being adjusted by changing the relative positions of said ends to change the circumferential dimension of said loop, and including means for locking the ends of the curved member in selected positions relative to one another whereby the size of said retaining means is selectively fixed,
• an expanse of flexible sheet material surrounding said retaining means and attached thereto for completely covering the underside of the eyelids when said retaining means is in place beneath the upper and lower eyelids, whereby said flexible sheet material protects the eyeball from contamination originating on the interior surfaces of the eyelids, and
• a positioning arm attached to said retaining means adjacent one end of said curved member and extending radially outwardly therefrom beneath said flexible sheet material.

A drape for covering the anterior and interior surfaces of the eyelids to protect the eyeball during examination and surgery, comprising:

• retaining means insertable beneath the upper and lower eyelids for fitting generally within the upper and lower palpebral sulci, said retaining means being annular in shape, and
• an expanse of flexible sheet material surrounding said retaining means and attached thereto for completely covering the underside of the eyelids when said retaining means is in place beneath the upper and lower eyelids, whereby said flexible sheet material protects the eyeball from contamination originating on the interior surfaces of the eyelids, said flexible sheet material including a central opening and first annular region adjacent said central opening which includes additional flexible sheet material for extending beneath and covering the underside of the eyelids, said flexible sheet material further including a generally planar surface geometry outside said first annular region.

In eye examination and surgery, a method of draping an eye to protect the eyeball, comprising:

• installing a retainer which is annular in shape and attached to a drape made of flexible sheet material which extends around the retainer such that the retainer surrounds the eyeball and fits beneath the eyelids generally along the upper and lower palpebral sulci, such that the drape completely covers the underside of the eyelids when the installing step is completed and the retainer is in place beneath the upper and lower eyelids, whereby the flexible sheet material protects the eyeball from contamination originating on the interior surfaces of the eyelids, and then
• spreading the drape radially outwardly from the eye, thereby covering both the anterior and interior surfaces of the eyelids.