Single-use disposable eyelid speculum, eye examination kit, and method for examining a patient's eye

A disposable eye equipment kit, the kit comprising:

• an eyelid speculum having
• an elongated curved arm formed from an elastic, single-piece element having a first and a second end in a generally parallel and opposing position and a pair of spoons integrally formed as a portion of the first end and the second end, each of the pair of spoons having a curvature portion adapted to the shape of an eyelid, the spoons being spaced apart by a predetermined distance, wherein the elongated curved arm is configured to be selectively deformed so that the spoons are displaced inwardly to reduce the distance between the spoons and allow engagement of the spoons with a patient's upper and lower eyelids, the spoons so engaged exerting a separating force in a range of about 90 grams to about 150 grams against the upper and lower eyelids;
• and
• a scleral depressor wherein the scleral depressor has a tip portion sized to fit between the spoons as the spoons engage the upper and lower eyelids.

A method for examining a patient's eye comprising the steps of:

• providing an eyelid speculum having an elongated curved arm formed from an elastic, single-piece element, the elongated curved arm having a first end and a second end in a generally parallel and opposing position, and a pair of spoons integrally and firedly formed as a portion of the first end and the second end, each of the pair of spoons having a curvature portion adapted to the shape of an eyelid, the spoons being spaced apart by a predetermined distance, wherein the elongated curved arm is configured to be selectively deformed so that the spoons are displaced inwardly to allow engagement of the spoons with a patient's upper and lower eyelids, the spoons so-engaged exerting a separating force in the range of about 90 grams to about 150 grams against the upper and lower eyelids;
• applying a compressive force to the elongated curved arm to move the pair of spoons inwardly to reduce the distance between the spoons;
• positioning the speculum proximate the patient's eye;
• and
• releasing the compressive force on the elongated curved arm to allow
• the curvature portion of one of the pair of spoons to engage the patient's upper eyelid and to allow the curvature portion of the other of the pair of spoons to engage with the patient's lower eyelid.

A method for examining a patient's eye comprising the steps of:

• providing an eyelid speculum having an elongated curved arm formed from an elastic, single-piece element, the elongated curved arm having a first end and a second end in a generally parallel and opposing position, and a pair of spoons integrally and firedly formed as a portion of the first end and the second end, each of the pair of spoons having a curvature portion adapted to the shape of an eyelid, the spoons being spaced apart by a predetermined distance, wherein the elongated curved arm is configured to be selectively deformed so that the spoons are displaced inwardly to allow engagement of the spoons with a patient's upper and lower eyelids;
• applying a compressive force to the elongated curved arm to move the pair of spoons inwardly to reduce the distance between the spoons;
• positioning the speculum proximate the patient's eye;
• and
• releasing the compressive force on the elongated curved arm to allow
• the curvature portion of one of the pair of spoons to engage the patient's upper eyelid and to allow the curvature portion of the other of the pair of spoons to engage with the patient's lower eyelid.