EYE TREATMENT DEVICE AND A METHOD OF USING SAID DEVICE

Abstract

An eye treatment device for cleaning of eyelashes and eyelid margins in the treatment of an eye disease is provided. Said eye treatment device comprises a swab consisting of a treatment member and a substantially rigid rod, and a housing formed as a handle that accommodates a drive unit for moving the swab relative to the drive unit. The eye treatment device comprises heating means for heating the swab.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. An eye treatment device arranged for removing debris from margin of the eyelid and/or for massaging the meibomian glands, said eye treatment device comprises a swab operatively connected to a housing that accommodates a drive unit, said drive unit being arranged for moving the swab relative to said housing, and wherein said eye treatment device comprises heating means arranged for heating the swab, characterized in that the moving of the swab relative to said housing is a rotating movement, the swab is made of cotton wadding or sponge material, said swab is arranged for absorbing a treatment liquid, and wherein said swab is arranged for being releasable attached to the housing, or to an extension member arranged for coupling the swab to the housing.

15. An eye treatment device according to claim 14, wherein the eye treatment device is arranged for heating the swab to a predefined temperature between 33° C. and 45° C.

16. An eye treatment device according to claim 14, wherein the eye treatment device comprises temperature controlling means arranged to heat the temperature of the swab to the predefined temperature and/or maintain the swab at said temperature.

17. An eye treatment device according to claim 16, wherein the temperature controlling means comprises a temperature adjustment means arranged for allowing adjustment of the temperature of the swab during use.

18. An eye treatment device according to claim 14, wherein the eye treatment device further comprises an ultrasonic means.

19. An eye treatment device according to claim 14, wherein the extension member is a substantially rigid rod made of a heat conductive material.

20. An eye treatment device according to claim 14, wherein an electrical motor of the drive unit is rotatable in both directions.

21. An eye treatment device according to claim 14, wherein the eye treatment device is arranged for rotating the swab at a speed between 50 and 150 rpm.

22. An eye treatment device according to claim 14, wherein the eye treatment device comprises rotation control means arranged for allowing adjustment of the rotational speed during use.

23. An eye treatment device according to claim 14, wherein the swab has a substantially tubular shape with a rounded end.

24. An eye treatment device according to claim 23, wherein the diameter of the tubular shape is between 0.2 cm and 1.0 cm.

25. An eye treatment device according to claim 14, wherein the heating means comprises electrical heating means and an electrical source for supplying electricity to the electrical heating means.

26. An eye treatment device according to claim 14, that the drive unit for moving the swab relative to the drive unit comprises an electrical motor and an electric source for supplying electricity to the electric motor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0046] FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of an eye treatment device according to the invention,

[0047] FIG. 2 is a side view of the eye treatment device in FIG. 1,

[0048] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the eye treatment device with one side of the housing removed, and

[0049] FIG. 4 is a drawing of the eye treatment device of FIG. 1 treating a lower eyelid of an eye.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] In FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown an eye treatment device 1 cleaning of eyelashes and eyelid margins in the treatment of an eye disease. The eye treatment device 1 comprises at its proximal end 2a, a swab 3 and a substantially rigid rod 4. Further, the eye treatment device 1 comprises a housing 5, which is formed to act as a handle. The housing 5 accommodates essential parts of the eye treatment device, as it will be described in further details with reference to FIG. 3. Further, the housing 5 comprises a lid 6 at a distal end 2b. The lid 6 opens into a battery section 8 in order to exchange the batteries. Further, the eye treatment device comprises a manually operated switch button 7 with which the eye treatment device may be turned on and off.

[0051] The eye treatment device 1 has a size which means that it fits well in the hand of the person performing the treatment of the eye.

[0052] FIG. 3 schematically shows the inside of the housing 5. Thus, the eye treatment device 1 is shown to comprise the battery section 8, to which access is achieved via the lid 6. The batteries used are preferable rechargeable batteries. The eye treatment device 1 accommodates two rechargeable batteries of type AAA, However, the eye treatment device 1 may also be arranged for being connected to a charging station.

[0053] Further, the eye treatment device 1 comprises a drive unit 9 in form of an electrical motor 9 for rotating the swab 3, and heating means 10 for heating the swab 3. The rigid rod 4 of the swab 2 is connected to the electrical motor 9 via a shaft 11 and is thereby rotatable by the electrical motor 9. Furthermore, the rigid rod 4 of the swab 2 is mounted and journalled in a bearing 17 arranged close to the end of the housing 5 comprising the swab 2. The eye treatment device 1 may also include means for vibrating and/or reciprocating the swab 2, however such means is not shown in FIG. 3.

[0054] The rigid rod 4 is made of any heat conductive material, such as any metal as iron or steel. The heating means 10 comprises an electrical heating element and a temperature controlling means arranged to heat the temperature of the rigid rod 4 and the swab 3 to the predefined temperature of e.g. between 40 to 43° C. and maintain the swab at said temperature.

[0055] In an alternative not shown embodiment, the rigid rod 4 of the swab 2 may be an electrical resistance heating element. Because the rigid rod 4 is to be rotated, the electrical contacts that supply the rigid rod 4 in such an embodiment must be formed by suitable slide contacts.

[0056] In the shown embodiment the switch button 7 is adapted to turn on and off both the electrical motor 9 and the heating means 10. In alternative embodiments the electrical motor 9 and the heating means 10 are turned on and off by means of separate switches, hence making it possible to use the eye treatment device with only one of these turned on.

[0057] In the same way the electrical source for both the electrical motor 9 and the heating means 10 is the batteries in battery section 8.

[0058] The switch button 7 is arranged in such a way that the electrical motor 9 may be rotated in both rotational directions.

[0059] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 the treatment member 3 consists of a cone of sponge. In the shown embodiment the treatment member 3 of the swab 4 is replaceable as the treatment member 3 quite simple may be twisted on and off the rigid rod 4. Hereby it is easy and also cheap to replace the treatment member 3, when it is worn or too dirty to be used.

[0060] The treatment member 3 of the swab 2 is selected to consist of a cone of sponge in order to be able to absorb a treatment liquid that may be applied to the swab prior to use. In this way, the eye disease can be treated more efficiently and the person with eye disease can be cured faster.

[0061] In FIG. 4 is shown how the eye treatment device 1 according to the invention is used for treating a lower eyelid 12 of an eye 13 for an eye disease. The user activates the eye treatment device by pressing the button 7, whereby the swab is heated and begins to rotate. When the swab is heated to the predetermined temperature of e.g. between 40 to 43° C., in a short heating period of e.g. 30 second, the user can easily move or slide the eye treatment device 1 from one side of the eye 13 to the other side in such a way the swab 3 slides over the lower eyelid 12 while simultaneously rotating and heating up and pushing away debris and various crusts from the eyelid 12. In this way the debris are heated to and thus softened, and as the swab simultaneously rotates the debris are removed in the same process step. If electrical motor 9 is rotating at a speed of about 108 rpm, which means that the swab 2 is rotating at the same speed.

[0062] The eye 13 also comprises an upper eyelid 14 and a plurality of eyelashes 15, which parts of the eye may be treated in the same way as the lower eyelid 12.

[0063] By adding a disinfecting liquid, such as a saline solution, to the treatment member 3, the softening and loosening process of the debris, crusts and/or cysts etc. is facilitated. This as due to the heating of the swab 2, the disinfecting liquid is also heated, which greatly promotes the softening and loosening process of the debris, crusts and/or cysts and thus also the cleaning process of the eye 13.

[0064] The eye also comprises an eyeball 16, which should not be touched during the treatment of the eye because it will feel uncomfortable to the person with eye disease. Because the treatment member 3 consists of a cone, it is easy to avoid that the treatment member 3 comes into contact with the eyeball 16.

[0065] In this way, by using the eye treatment device according to the invention two process steps of softening and scrubbing the debris, crusts and/or cysts may be done in a single process step.

[0066] The device according to the invention has a simple and inexpensive design, and can therefore be used equally well for both privately and in medical or hospital facilities where the known eye treatment devices are too troublesome and complicated to use. The device may be used for treating various eye diseases e.g. meibomian gland dysfunction, blepharitis, and dry eye syndrome, however, the device may be equally well used for a simple hygienic treatment of the eye-regions.

[0067] Modifications and combinations of the above principles and designs are foreseen within the scope of the present invention.