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US 5,627,611 AGranted
Artificial tears
OwnerStanley A. Scheinerinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerStanley A. Scheinerinventor
Estimating the term…
A passive mechanism supplies moisture into a chamber formed by an eyeglass frame closely fitted over at least one eyeball and the adjacent cheek or cheeks of an eyeglass wearer. The moisture may be composed of water or any suitable evaporable eye drop fluid absorbed within a moisture absorbing member, such as cotton. A moisture pervious cover, such as a perforated cover or a fluid pervious cover is provided for the moisture-absorbing member. Moisture absorbed in the moisture absorbing member is evaporated through the cover into the chamber to increase the humidity within the chamber and counteract the discomfort and ocular damage that affects the eyeballs, particularly when the wearer is elderly. This invention replaces the previous need for frequent manual application of eye drops and provides a simple mechanism free of fluid pumping elements previously needed to supply fluid to the surface of the eyeballs. The frame may be vented to prevent fogging of lenses when the chamber becomes subject to hyper-humidity.
Apparatus for use with an eyeglass frame that is constructed and arranged to define a chamber in front of at least one eyeball of a wearer of said eyeglass frame to reduce the rate at which an exposed surface of said eyeball of a wearer becomes dry, comprising a plug of moisture absorbent material containing evaporable moisture therein carried by said frame, means to cover said plug and to provide at least one path through said cover means in a direction toward said chamber to increase the humidity of said chamber between said frame and said eyeball surface without requiring any pumping action to deliver said moisture to said chamber.
Apparatus for controlling the dryness of an eyeball of a wearer of an eyeglass frame constructed and arranged to form a chamber in front of the eyes of a wearer of said eyeglass frame and behind said frame, said eyeglass frame constructed and arranged to support at least a pair of plugs of moisture absorbing material impregnated with moisture and means to support said plugs within said frame, said support means being constructed and arranged to provide passage for moisture evaporated from said plugs into said chamber.
A method of controlling the dryness of the exposed surface of an eyeball comprising causing a patient suffering from eyeball dryness to wear an eyeglass frame supporting a plug of moisture absorbing material having moisture absorbed therein in such a manner that the frame is spaced from said patient to form a chamber in front of the eyes of said patient, and delivering moisture evaporated at an evaporation rate sufficient to moisten the eyeball but insufficient for said delivered moisture to harm said exposed eyeball surface from said plug into said chamber through moisture pervious portions of said eyeglass frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.