Treatment for Dry Eyes

Abstract

A balm mixture is provided for treating dry eyes. The balm mixture is applied from a container to the skin of the user adjacent their lower eyelid. The balm mixture includes a carrier portion and an active ingredient portion which will cause tears to form in the eye of a user adjacent the application thereof, thereby alleviating a dry eye condition.

Claims

1. A balm mixture for application to the skin of the user adjacent the lower eyelid thereof, comprising: a balm mixture, said balm mixture having a total volume thereof composed of a carrier mixture portion and an active ingredient portion; said carrier mixture portion being 40 to 80 percent of the total volume of the balm mixture; said active ingredient portion being 20 to 60 percent of the total volume of the balm mixture; said carrier portion including a powder from a group of powders including talc and cornstarch; said carrier mixture portion including an oil portion thereof, where the oil portion includes at least one oil from a group of oils including: Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Petrolatum, Octyldodecanol, Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil and Lanolin; and said carrier mixture portion including a wax portion thereof, where the wax portion includes one or a combination of waxes, from a group of waxes, including: Beeswax, Candelilla Wax, and Carnauba Wax.

2. The balm mixture of claim 1 additionally comprising: said carrier mixture portion formed from a mixture of castor seed oil, corn starch and carnauba wax; and said active ingredient portion formed from a mixture of Menthoxypropanediol, Menthonediol, Menthol, and Caffeine.

3. The balm mixture of claim 2 said active ingredient portion comprises: 30-40% Menthoxypropanediol; 30-40% Menthonediol; 30-40% Menthol; and 0.01-0.25% Caffeine.

4. The balm mixture of claim 2 said active ingredient portion comprises: 36.35% Menthoxypropanediol; 36.36% Menthonediol; 27.27% Menthol; and 0.018% Caffeine.

4. The balm mixture of claim 3, additionally comprising: an oval shaped container having an oval shaped cavity therein; said balm mixture formed to an oval shape member, said oval shaped member positioned within said oval shaped cavity; said oval shaped member dispensable from an open end of said oval shaped container; and contact of an oval shaped distal end of said oval shaped member providing said application of said balm mixture to the skin of said user.

6. A method of treating dry eyes comprising the steps of: applying the balm mixture of claim 1 to the skin adjacent the lower eyelid.

7. A method of treating dry eyes comprising the steps of: applying the balm mixture of claim 6 to the skin adjacent the lower eyelid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

[0025] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive, examples of embodiments and/or features of the invention. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting.

In the drawings:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view showing the preferred balm mixture formed to a user-deployable stick from a container, whereby it may be applied to the skin adjacent the eyes without contact with the hands or fingers.

[0027] FIG. 2 depicts the device of FIG. 1 showing a protective cap for removably covering the balm mixture, when not in use, to protect against contamination.

[0028] FIG. 3 depicts an especially preferred shape of the dispensing container and the balm mixture dispensed therefrom which has been found to render it easier for users to apply.

[0029] FIG. 4 is an end view of the preferred container of FIG. 3 showing a preferred length and width of the dispensed balm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0030] In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only. They are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

[0031] Now referring to drawings in FIGS. 1-4, wherein similar components are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in FIG. 1 the balm formulation herein, which is distributed in a container 12. It should be noted that the container could also be a jar with a cap, wherein the user will use their fingers to apply the balm. However, experimentation has shown that a much more evenly distributed amount of balm in the area adjacent the lower eye lid is applied where the container 12 surrounds the balm mixture 16 which is dispensed by projecting a portion from the open end of the container 12 using the dispensing component 18, which in the preferred modes herein in FIG. 1-3, employs a rotating knob 19 which actuates a screw mechanism or the like engaged with the balm 16, formed as a stick.

[0032] In all modes herein, the container 12 has a removable cap 14 which serves to seal the container 12 from the outside atmosphere and prevent evaporation and hardening of the balm mixture 16 stored within an interior cavity of the container 12.

[0033] The dispensing component 18 is operatively engaged with the container 12, at a second end, which is opposite the opening at the first end or dispensing end 21 of the container 12 from which the balm 16 will dispense. A twisting of the knob 19 of the dispensing component 18 will rotate an axial or screw type projection engaged to the dispensing component 18 and extending through an engagement with the center of the balm 16. Twisting the knob 19 of the dispensing component 18 in one direction will translate the balm 16 from the dispensing end 21 of the container 12.

[0034] The balm 16 is formed of a total mixture which includes active ingredients and which includes carriers and stabilizers adapted to form the balm 16 into a stick form. In this preferred mode, the balm 16 can, thus, be dispensed from the dispensing end 21 of the container 12 by the rotation of the knob 19 of the dispensing component 18. This twist and dispense configuration renders the device 10 very convenient to employ by a user in the method herein.

[0035] FIGS. 3-4 depict an especially preferred shape and dimensional size of the dispensing container and the balm 16 mixture dispensed therefrom. This oval shape and the length and width, thereof, have been found to render the device 10 easier for users to apply. As shown, the container 12 is shaped to surround and support the balm mixture 16 in a member or stick form, which has a length L of substantially 0.70 to 1.0 inches and a width W, of substantially 0.4 to 0.6 inches. It was found in experimentation that this oval shape, in the dimensions noted, of the balm mixture formed in a stick or member, allowed the user to deposit the balm 16 onto the skin adjacent the lower lid of their eye easier and in one swipe, rather than in multiple swipes. The oval shape of the container 12 also was found to render it easier to hold and more securely held during application of the balm 16 adjacent the lower lid of the eye of the user, which helped prevent the accidental contact of the balm 16 with the eyeball of the user during application.

[0036] The total volume of the balm mixture includes a carrier mixture portion thereof, blended with an active ingredient mixture portion of the balm mixture. The active ingredient mixture portion includes a plurality of active ingredients.

[0037] Currently, the carrier portion of the total volume of the balm mixture, forms between 40 to 80 percent of the total volume of the balm mixture.

[0038] Currently, the carrier mixture portion preferably includes an oil portion thereof, where the oil portion includes at least one oil, and preferably a combination of oils, from a group of oils including: Ricinus Communis Castor) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Petrolatum, Octyldodecanol, Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil and Lanolin.

[0039] Included with the carrier mixture portion with the oil portion thereof, is a wax portion of the carrier mixture. The wax portion of the carrier mixture portion includes one or a combination of waxes, from a group of waxes, including: Beeswax (Cera Alba), a hard and higher melting point wax, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla Wax), and a high melting point, brittle wax, such as Carnauba Wax (Copernicia Cerifera Cera).

[0040] Also included in the carrier mixture portion is a film forming additive or powder such as talc or in the current preferred mode, corn starch.

[0041] Currently, the carrier mixture portion includes a mixture of castor seed oil, carnauba wax, and corn starch. However, one or more oils, from the noted group of oils, can be substituted or included with the castor seed oil, and one or more waxes, from the group of waxes noted above, can be included with or substituted for the carnauba wax. While corn starch is preferred, a film forming particulate ingredient or additive, talc or other cosmetic powders may be substituted.

[0042] The plurality of active ingredients have been found, in experimentation when employed together, to have a beneficial synergistic effect which is well beyond the effect of the individual ingredients when employed in a balm by themselves. Currently, an active ingredient portion of the total volume of the balm mixture, includes a combination of active ingredients blended and combined to an active ingredient portion of the total balm mixture. This active ingredient portion of the total mixture ranges from 20 to 60 percent of the total volume of the balm mixture.

[0043] Included in the active ingredient portion of the balm mixture, to achieve the synergistic effect noted to cause enhance moisture generation in the eyes, are Menthoxypropanediol, Menthonediol, Menthol, and Caffeine. Currently, the percentage of the synergistic active ingredients, in the active ingredient portion, of the total volume of the balm mixture to be blended with the carrier mixture portion, are:

[0044] Menthoxypropanediol=30-40% of the active ingredient portion, [0045] with 36.35% being a current favored amount.

[0046] Menthonediol=30-40% of the active ingredient portion, [0047] with 36.36% being a current favored amount.

[0048] Menthol=between 20-30% of the active ingredient portion, [0049] with 27.27% being a currently favored amount; and

[0050] Caffeine=0.01-0.25% of the active ingredient portion, [0051] with 0.018% being a currently favored amount.

[0052] As noted, in experimentation, a synergistic effect of the combined active ingredients in the active ingredient portion, was apparent when mixed in the above noted respective favored amounts of the active ingredient portion of the total balm mixture. However, such may vary slightly, as noted above, and a similar synergistic effect is anticipated. However, currently, the above noted, currently favored respective individual amounts, are currently preferred.

[0053] In a method of treating dry eyes using a balm, a volume of balm is provided from which the user will treat their dry eyes. Using the provided balm mixture, the user will apply the balm to the skin on their face adjacent to the lower eye lid of one or both eyes. Thereafter the tears in the eye of the user will be increased upon communication of evaporating vapors from the balm mixture applied to the skin adjacent their lower eyelid.

[0054] While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the eye balm for treatment of dry eyes and system of employment thereof have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are considered included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.