OPHTHALMOLOGICAL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF CORNEAL DISEASES

Abstract

An ophthalmological device (10) for the treatment of corneal diseases such as keratoconus and glaucoma, comprises a moulding head (12), a suction body (14) and a UV lamp (15). The moulding head (12) has a hollow cylindrical configuration and includes a rigid moulding lens (18) for shaping the cornea of an eye (11) of a patient. The lens is curved and defines a plurality of apertures therein. The suction body (14) has a hollow cylindrical configuration. The lamp (15) is fitted to the suction body. Moulding head (12) and suction body (14) together define a chamber (32) from which air is evacuated so as to induce a partial vacuum within the chamber (32) for attracting the cornea onto the lens (18). A photo-sensitizer is applied to the eye and while the cornea is held against the mould, it is irradiated with UV light by lamp (15) so as to cross-link collagen fibres in the cornea.

Claims

1. An ophthalmological device for the treatment of corneal diseases, which includes: a mould having a curved, transparent moulding surface defining a plurality of apertures therein, which is applied to the coma of an eye of a patient for shaping the corneal tissue to a desired curvature; a suction body defining a suction chamber in which a partial vacuum is induced so as to form a partial vacuum within the mould which attracts the cornea onto the moulding surface; and a radiation source for irradiating the cornea with a beam of radiation.

2. The ophthalmological device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mould includes a rigid lens winch defines said curved moulding surface, the moulding surface of the lens having a predetermined curvature so as to shape the corneal tissue to said desired curvature.

3. The ophthalmological device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mould lens is in the form of a rigid contact lens.

4. The ophthalmological device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the mould is removably connected to the suction body, thereby permitting the mould to be removed and replaced by another mould with a lens having a different curvature.

5. The ophthalmological device as claimed in claim 1 4, wherein the suction body is in the form of an elongate, hollow tube having a connecting formation at a lower end thereof to which the mould is removably connected.

6. The ophthalmological device as claimed in claim 5, wherein one of the suction body and the mould has a connector to which a conduit connected to a suction device can be connected, in use.

7. The ophthalmological device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiation source is in the form of a lamp which is operable to emit a beam of UV light.

8. The ophthalmological device as claimed in claim 7, the radiation source is operable to emit a beam of UV light having a wavelength of 375 nm.

9. A method of treating corneal diseases, which includes: applying an effective amount of a photo-sensitizer to a cornea of an eye of a patient; applying a mould to the cornea thereby to shape the cornea until a desired corneal shape is achieved; applying a suction to the cornea so as to attract the cornea onto the moulding surface of the mould; and irradiating the cornea with a focused beam of radiation therein to induce a cross-linking of collagen fibres in the cornea while the cornea is attracted onto the moulding surface of the moulding.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Further features of the invention are described hereinafter by way of a non-limiting example of the invention, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a device for the treatment of corneal diseases, in accordance with the invention;

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a sectional side view of the device of FIG. 1; and

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a bottom plan view of the device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] With reference to the drawings, an ophthalmological device for the treatment of corneal diseases such as keratoconus and glaucoma, is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The device 10 has a generally elongate cylindrical configuration and comprises a moulding head 12, a suction body 14 and a UV lamp 15.

[0025] The device 10 is specifically adapted for use in the treatment of corneal diseases wherein the moulding head 12 is used to shape the cornea of an eye of a patient while the UV lamp 15 is used to induce cross-linking of collagen fibres in the cornea by a photo-sensitizer such as riboflavin or a riboflavin solution.

[0026] The moulding head 12 is of a plastics material and has a generally hollow cylindrical configuration. The moulding head has a first end 16 which is open and a second end 18 in which a rigid glass moulding lens is mounted. The end 16 defines a boss 17. The moulding lens 20 defines a curved moulding surface 22 having a predetermined curvature. The lens 20 defines a plurality of apertures 21 therein, the purpose of which is explained hereinbelow. The moulding head 12 further includes a connector 24 to which a hose 26 which is connected to a suction pump, is connected.

[0027] The suction body 14 is aluminium and has a generally hollow cylindrical configuration and has a first end 28 and a second end 30. The first end 28 is open and is releasably fitted onto the boss 17 at the open end 16 of the moulding head in an airtight arrangement. The UV lamp 15 is fitted to the suction body 16 at its closed end 30 in an airtight manner. The UV lamp 15 is in the form of a light emitting diode (LED) which is operable to emit a beam of UV light having a wavelength of 375 nm. The aluminium of the suction body acts as a heat sink, cooling the suction body when it is heated by the LED, in use.

[0028] The moulding head 12 and the suction body 14 together define a chamber 32 from which air is evacuated as will be explained in further detail below, in order to induce a partial vacuum within the chamber 32.

[0029] In use, the device 10 is used in the treatment of corneal diseases, for example, keratoconus. In the treatment of keratoconus in accordance with the method of the invention, an effective amount of a photo-sensitizer such as riboflavin or a riboflavin solution is applied to an eye 11 of a patient. Thereafter a lens 20 of the moulding head 12 of the ophthalmological device 10 is pressed against the cornea so as to shape the cornea until a desired corneal shape is achieved. A suction is applied to the chamber defined by the moulding head 12 and the suction body 14 until a partial vacuum is created within the chamber 32 which causes a suction to be applied to the cornea of the eye so as to attract the cornea onto the moulding surface of the lens 20. The suction applied to the eye from within the chamber 32 enhances the moulding of the cornea by attracting the cornea onto the moulding lens while at the same time reducing intraocular pressure within the eye. While the cornea is held against the mould by the suction, the cornea is irradiated with a focused beam of UV light by means of the UV lamp 15 thereby inducing a cross linking of the collagen fibres in the cornea of the eye which in turn increases the biomechanical rigidity of the cornea.

[0030] By being releasably secured to the suction body, the moulding head 12 can be removed and replaced with another moulding head having a lens which has a different curvature. In this manner, this allows the ophthalmological device 10 to be used with different moulding lenses for use with patient's having corneas having different curvatures. Furthermore, with the moulding head 12 removed, the ophthalmological device can be used for conventional cross-linking using a photo-sensitizer and beam of UV light only.

[0031] The method and device described hereinabove have been found to be useful as an adjunct in the treatment of certain types of glaucoma by lowering the intraocular pressure within the eye. The method and device described hereinabove have also been found to be useful in the treatment of keratoconus wherein the device is used to change the curvature of the cornea while simultaneously increasing the biomechanical rigidity of the cornea by inducing cross-linking of collagen fibres within the cornea.