Lacrimal fluid control device

A lacrimal fluid control device for blocking the flow of lacrimal fluid from the surface of an eye through a punctal opening and into an associated canaliculus, said lacrimal fluid control device comprising:

• a tip comprising a generally inverted truncated cone and being operable to facilitate placement of the lacrimal fluid control device at least partially through a punctal opening of a wearer and into a generally vertical portion of an associated canaliculus;
• a head portion operable to prevent drift of the lacrimal fluid control device completely through the punctal opening and into the generally vertical portion of the associated canaliculus;
• a shank integrally joined at one end to said head and at the other end to said tip, said shank interconnecting said head and tip and being operably engaged about its periphery by a punctal opening ring of tissue of a patient, said shank having,
• a generally cylindrical segment with a diameter at said one end adjacent to said head which is less than the diameter of said head, and
• a truncated conical segment with a small diameter and joined to said cylindrical segment and a large diameter end at said other end of said shank such that;
• lateral force of the ring of tissue of the punctal opening against said shank produces a resultant force vector on the shank which is directed toward the tip of the lacrimal fluid control device to facilitate retention of the lacrimal fluid control device within the punctal opening with the head against the punctal ring tissue.

A lacrimal fluid control device for blocking the flow of lacrimal fluid from the surface of an eye through a punctal opening and into an associated canaliculus, said lacrimal fluid control device comprising:

• a tip portion comprising a generally inverted truncated cone and being operable to facilitate placement of the lacrimal fluid control device at lest partially through a punctal opening of a wearer and into a generally vertical portion of an associated canaliculus;
• a head portion being operable to prevent drift of the lacrimal fluid control device completely through the punctal opening and into the generally vertical portion of the associated canaliculus;
• a shank portion integrally joined at one end to said head portion and at the other end to said tip portion, said shank portion interconnecting said head and tip portions and being operably engaged about its periphery by a punctal opening ring of tissue of a patient, said shank portion,
• being configured with a first segment in the shape of a cylinder connected at one end to the associated head portion and with a second segment in the shape of a generally truncated cone having a small diameter end connected to the other end of said cylinder and a large diameter end connected to a base portion of the truncated cone comprising said portion of said lacrimal fluid control device, and
• having a diameter adjacent to said head portion which is less than the diameter of said shank portion adjacent to said tip portion such that;
• lateral closing force of the punctal opening ring of tissue against said shank portion produces a resultant force vector on the shank portion which is directed toward the tip of the lacrimal fluid control device to facilitate retention of the lacrimal fluid control device to within the punctal opening to block the flow of lacrimal fluid from the surface of an eye through the punctal opening and into an associated canaliculus.