| TearScience, Inc. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120136285 | SYSTEM FOR OUTER EYELID HEAT AND PRESSURE TREATMENT FOR TREATING MEIBOMIAN GLAND DYSFUNCTION - A system for treating meibomian gland dysfunction. A controller controls heat applied to the outside of the eyelid to provide conductive heat transfer to the meibomian glands. The application of heat assists in the expression of obstructions or occlusions in the meibomian glands to restore sufficient sebum flow to the lipid layer to treat dry eye. A force is also applied to the outside of the patient's eyelid during the application of heat to improve conductive heat transfer and reduce blood flow in the eyelid that causes convective heat loss. Thus, the application of force can further increase the temperature level and/or reduce the time to reach desired temperature levels for removing obstructions or occlusions. Reaching increased temperature levels may improve the melting, loosening, or softening of obstructions or occlusions in the meibomian glands while reducing the amount of time to reach desired temperature levels and/or aid in reducing discomfort to the patient during treatment. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120088980 | MEIBOMIAN GLAND ILLUMINATING AND IMAGING - In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus for imaging a portion of a mammalian eyelid has an eye contact lenspiece configured to direct the light through an eyelid from posterior to anterior surface to thereby trans-illuminate the eyelid, when the light source illuminates the contact lens. An imaging device receives an image of the eyelid as it is trans-illuminated. Other methods and apparatus are presented in various embodiments, hence this abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120016450 | APPARATUSES FOR TREATMENT OF MEIBOMIAN GLANDS - In one embodiment, an apparatus for treating mammalian meibomian glands involves clearing the meibomian glands. The apparatus comprises a heater configured to apply a regulated heat to an eyelid containing the meibomian glands to a temperature adequate to melt obstructions in the meibomian glands to put the obstructions in a fluid or suspension (melted) state, and a controller maintaining the heat for a time period adequate to melt the obstructions. The glands can then be mechanically treated by a mechanical treatment applicator to express fluid from the glands by using a compressive force, wherein the treating is carried out either during the time period or after the time period but while the obstruction remains in a fluid state. Subsequent pharmacological treatment of the glands by use a pharmacological agent (topical or systemic) can then be used to assist in maintaining proper flow of lipids from the glands. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120016275 | APPARATUS FOR TREATING MEIBOMIAN GLAND DYSFUNCTION - An apparatus for treating meibomian gland dysfunction caused by meibomian gland obstruction in order to restore the natural flow of secretion from the meibomian gland comprises the application of a combination of energy, suction, vibration, heat, aspiration, chemical agents and pharmacological agents to loosen and thereafter remove the obstructive material. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20110285961 | TEAR FILM MEASUREMENT - The invention comprises an apparatus for measuring the relative thickness of the lipid layer component of the precorneal tear film on the surface of an eye after distribution of the lipid layer subsequent to blinking is disclosed. An illuminator directs light to the lipid layer of a patient's eye. The illuminator is a broad spectrum light source covering the visible region and is a lambertion light emitter such that the light source is specularly reflected from the lipid layer and undergoes constructive and destructive interference in the lipid layer. A collector collects and focuses the specularly reflected light such that the interference patterns on the tear film lipid layer are observable. The collector also produces an output signal representative of the specularly reflected light which is suitable for further analysis, such as projection on to a high resolution video monitor or analysis by or storage in a computer. In order to facilitate ease of measurement, the patient's head may be positioned on an observation platform when the illuminator directs light to the lipid layer of the patient's eye. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110137214 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING GLAND DYSFUNCTION - A method and apparatus for treating gland dysfunction caused by gland obstruction in order to restore the natural flow of secretion from the gland comprises the application of a combination of energy, suction, vibration, heat, aspiration, chemical agents and pharmacological agents to loosen and thereafter remove the obstructive material. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110130729 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING GLAND DYSFUNCTION - A method and apparatus for treating gland dysfunction caused by gland obstruction in order to restore the natural flow of secretion from the gland comprises the application of a combination of energy, suction, vibration, heat, aspiration, chemical agents and pharmacological agents to loosen and thereafter remove the obstructive material. | 06-02-2011 |
| 20110022010 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING MEIBOMIAN GLAND DYSFUNCTION EMPLOYING FLUID JET - According to the present invention, there is provided a method of treating meibomian gland dysfunction in a mammal wherein an occlusion blocks at least a portion of the flow of naturally occurring secretion out of a gland channel orifice. The invention comprises selecting a device capable of delivering a jet of heated medium. The device is positioned such that when the jet is it is applied to the exterior surface of the eyelid, proximate to the gland channel orifice, a jet of heated medium is applied to the exterior surface of the eyelid proximate to the gland channel orifice at a pressure of from about 2 psi to about 30 psi. Application of the jet of heated medium is maintained for sufficient time to loosen, break up, fracture, soften or liquefy at least a portion of the occlusion such that at least a portion of the occlusion is removed. In an exemplary embodiment, the medium is water heated to a temperature of between about 42° C. and about 46° C. Depending on the particular type and composition of the obstruction, the fluid jet operates to melt or soften the obstruction and to milkingly move the corpus of the softened obstruction up the gland channel from the end opposite the meibomian gland orifice and out of the gland orifice. Repeated application of the heated fluid jet may also be necessary to soften and/or express the obstruction. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20100259723 | Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) methods for imaging and measuring ocular tear film layer thickness(es) - Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for measuring a tear film layer thickness (TFLT) of the ocular tear film, including lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or aqueous layer thickness (ALT). The measured TFLT can be used to diagnosis dry eye syndrome (DES). In certain disclosed embodiments, a multi-wavelength light source can be controlled to illuminate the ocular tear film. Light emitted from the multi-wavelength light source undergoes optical wave interference interactions in the tear film. An imaging device can be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture optical wave interference interactions of specularly reflected light from the tear film combined with a background signal(s) in a first image. The imaging device can also be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture a second image containing the background signal(s) present in the first image. The second image can be subtracted from the first image to reduce and/or eliminate the background signal(s) in the first image to produce a resulting image. The resulting image can be processed and analyzed to measure a tear film layer thickness (TFLT), including lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or aqueous layer thickness (ALT). | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100259722 | Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) methods for imaging, processing, and/or displaying an ocular tear film - Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for measuring a tear film layer thickness (TFLT) of the ocular tear film, including lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or aqueous layer thickness (ALT). The measured TFLT can be used to diagnosis dry eye syndrome (DES). In certain disclosed embodiments, a multi-wavelength light source can be controlled to illuminate the ocular tear film. Light emitted from the multi-wavelength light source undergoes optical wave interference interactions in the tear film. An imaging device can be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture optical wave interference interactions of specularly reflected light from the tear film combined with a background signal(s) in a first image. The imaging device can also be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture a second image containing the background signal(s) present in the first image. The second image can be subtracted from the first image to reduce and/or eliminate the background signal(s) in the first image to produce a resulting image. The resulting image can be processed and analyzed to measure a tear film layer thickness (TFLT), including lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or aqueous layer thickness (ALT). | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100259721 | Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices and systems for imaging and measuring ocular tear film layer thickness (ES) - Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for measuring a tear film layer thickness (TFLT) of the ocular tear film, including lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or aqueous layer thickness (ALT). The measured TFLT can be used to diagnosis dry eye syndrome (DES). In certain disclosed embodiments, a multi-wavelength light source can be controlled to illuminate the ocular tear film. Light emitted from the multi-wavelength light source undergoes optical wave interference interactions in the tear film. An imaging device can be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture optical wave interference interactions of specularly reflected light from the tear film combined with a background signal(s) in a first image. The imaging device can also be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture a second image containing the background signal(s) present in the first image. The second image can be subtracted from the first image to reduce and/or eliminate the background signal(s) in the first image to produce a resulting image. The resulting image can be processed and analyzed to measure a tear film layer thickness (TFLT), including lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or aqueous layer thickness (ALT). | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100253907 | Ocular surface interferometery (OSI) devices and systems for imaging, processing, and/or displaying an ocular tear film - Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for measuring a tear film layer thickness (TFLT) of the ocular tear film, including lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or aqueous layer thickness (ALT). The measured TFLT can be used to diagnosis dry eye syndrome (DES). In certain disclosed embodiments, a multi-wavelength light source can be controlled to illuminate the ocular tear film. Light emitted from the multi-wavelength light source undergoes optical wave interference interactions in the tear film. An imaging device can be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture optical wave interference interactions of specularly reflected light from the tear film combined with a background signal(s) in a first image. The imaging device can also be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture a second image containing the background signal(s) present in the first image. The second image can be subtracted from the first image to reduce and/or eliminate the background signal(s) in the first image to produce a resulting image. The resulting image can be processed and analyzed to measure a tear film layer thickness (TFLT), including lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or aqueous layer thickness (ALT). | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100085540 | TEAR FILM MEASUREMENT - The invention comprises an apparatus for measuring the relative thickness of the lipid layer component of the precorneal tear film on the surface of an eye after distribution of the lipid layer subsequent to blinking is disclosed. An illuminator directs light to the lipid layer of a patient's eye. The illuminator is a broad spectrum light source covering the visible region and is a lambertion light emitter such that the light source is specularly reflected from the lipid layer and undergoes constructive and destructive interference in the lipid layer. A collector collects and focuses the specularly reflected light such that the interference patterns on the tear film lipid layer are observable. The collector also produces an output signal representative of the specularly reflected light which is suitable for further analysis, such as projection on to a high resolution video monitor or analysis by or storage in a computer. In order to facilitate ease of measurement, the patient's head may be positioned on an observation platform when the illuminator directs light to the lipid layer of the patient's eye. | 04-08-2010 |
