Punctum plug system including a punctum plug and passive insertion tool therefor

A punctum plug for insertion through a punctal opening at the eye, comprising:

• a) a shaft portion having first and second ends;
• b) a head portion coupled to said first end of said shaft portion;
• and
• c) a body portion coupled to said second end of said shaft portion,
• said plug defining a bore for receiving an insertion tool by which to insert said plug into the punctal opening, wherein, when said plug is in a non-stressed state, said bore has a proximal length with a substantially constant first diameter and an adjacent relatively distal length having a second smaller diameter and being tapered relative to said first diameter, and
• wherein said body is solid radially outward from said bore.

A punctum plug for insertion through a punctal opening at the eye, comprising:

• a) a shaft portion having first and second ends;
• b) a head portion coupled to said first end of said shaft portion;
• and
• c) a body portion coupled to said second end of said shaft portion, said body portion having a proximal side defining a substantially planar annular shelf,
• wherein said plug is sized to fit within the punctal opening and defines a bore having a proximal length with a first diameter and an adjacent relatively distal length which includes a plurality of portions in successively decreasing diameter relative to said first diameter, and
• wherein said body is solid radially outward from said bore.

A punctum plug for insertion through a punctal opening at the eye, comprising:

• a) a head;
• b) a body;
• and
• c) a shaft extending between said head and body portions, a shelf being defined adjacent a junction of the shaft and body portions, said shaft having a portion which tapers in a direction from said body to said head, said shaft further defining a circumferential groove at said junction with said body.

A method of inserting a punctum plug into a punctum of an eye, the punctum having an opening surrounded by a punctal ring, comprising:

• a) providing a punctum plug mounted on an insertion instrument having no moving parts, the punctum plug having a head portion, a substantially frustoconical body portion, and a shaft portion therebetween, a shelf being defined adjacent a junction of the shaft and body portions, and a bore being defined along a longitudinal axis of the plug, and the insertion instrument being frictionally engaged within the bore;
• b) inserting the plug without dilation into the punctal opening until the shelf of the plug is located below the punctal ring of the punctum;
• and
• c) without applying a stabilizing force to the head of the plug, withdrawing the insertion instrument without significant lateral movement to the instrument so as to release the instrument from engagement with the plug.