eyelid speculum

Abstract

To provide an eye speculum that can open an eyelid simply and safely.SOLUTION: When an eye speculum of the present invention is installed in an eyelid G, an opening direction is changed from an upper part or a lower part to the rear by closing a grip part 1 while narrowing an interval between a first hooking part 31 and a second hooking part 32 through a first arm 21 and a second arm 22. Then, the opening direction is changed from the rear to the upper part or the lower part by opening the grip part 1 while gradually spreading the interval between the first hooking part 31 and the second hooking part 32 through the first arm 21 and the second arm 22. Thereby, the eyelid can be opened simply and safely, while the first hooking part 31 and the second hooking part 32 are smoothly hooked to the lid margin of an upper eyelid G1 and a lower eyelid G2, respectively simultaneously.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an eyelid speculum used to open the eyelids in ophthalmic surgery such as cataract surgery. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when performing ophthalmic surgery such as cataract surgery, the inside and surrounding areas of the eyelids are disinfected, a drape is placed, and then the eyelids are opened with an eyelid speculum to expand the surgical field.

[0003] This eyelid speculum generally consists of an arm portion that is arranged parallel to the plane of the eyelid and a pair of hook portions that are arranged at the tip of the arm portion, and the opening directions of the hook portions are formed so that they face outward in opposite directions. As shown in Figure 12, various types of eyelid speculum are known, such as a spring type, a screw type, and a slide type, depending on the method for opening and closing the hook portions.

[0004] Among these, spring-type eyelid speculum devices have arms whose base ends are bent in a U- or V-shape, and the arms are opened and closed using the elastic force of the spring at the bent portion to narrow or widen the gap between the hooks at the distal ends of the arms. Specifically, when the arms are grasped and closed against the elastic force of the spring at the bent portion, the gap between the pair of hooks at the distal ends of the arms gradually narrows, causing the pair of hooks to hook onto the eyelids. Then, when the gripping force of the arms is weakened and the arms are opened using the elastic force of the spring at the bent portion, the gap between the hooks gradually widens, causing the eyelids to open vertically (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0005] Furthermore, the screw-type eyelid speculum has a screw mechanism at the base end of the arm portion, and by opening and closing the arm portion with this screw mechanism, the distance between the hook portions can be narrowed or widened.

[0006] Furthermore, in the slide-type open / close device, a slide mechanism is provided at the base end of the arm portion, and by opening and closing the arm portion with this slide mechanism, the distance between the latch portions can be narrowed or widened. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-227457 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, conventional eyelid retractors have a structure in which the arm portion opens and closes along the plane of the upper and lower eyelids, so as the arm portion opens and closes, the hook portion also narrows or widens the gap along the plane of the eyelids, and the opening direction of the hook portion also remains facing the plane of the eyelids. Therefore, even if one tries to hook the pair of hooking parts onto the upper and lower eyelids, the opening direction of the hooking parts remains facing the plane of the eyelids, whereas the back side of the actual eyelids is inclined diagonally backward along the eyeball wall, making it difficult to hook the hooking parts onto the upper and lower eyelids simultaneously. Moreover, while the hooking parts have a fixed length from the tip to the base end on the arm side, the outlines of the actual upper and lower eyelids in the plane direction are gently curved in a mountain shape, making it difficult to hook the hooking parts onto the upper and lower eyelids simultaneously. For this reason, during actual surgery, in order to hook the hooking parts onto the eyelids, the entire eyelid speculum must be tilted toward the eyelids while the spacing between the hooking parts is narrowed, and one hooking part closer to the eyelid must be hooked onto either the upper or lower eyelid, and then the other hooking part must be hooked onto the other upper or lower eyelid. Moreover, when the arm parts are closed to narrow the spacing between the hooking parts, it is structurally difficult to narrow the end of the hooking parts on the ear side (the arm part side), so as a result, the hooking parts must be hooked onto the eyelids while tilting the hooking parts in various directions or opening the eyelid with the hand opposite to that holding the eyelid speculum, which poses the problem of cumbersome installation work of the eyelid speculum.

[0009] Furthermore, conventional eyelid speculum devices (especially spring-type eyelid speculum devices) have a structural problem in that when the distance between the pair of hooking parts is narrowed, the end of the hooking part on the ear side (the arm side) becomes difficult to narrow, while when the distance between the hooking parts is widened, the end of the hooking part on the nose side becomes difficult to open, making it difficult to ensure a sufficient surgical field during surgery.

[0010] Furthermore, in patients with deep-set eyes (patients with thick subcutaneous tissue or eyeballs located deep in the eye, with the eyeballs positioned relatively deep in relation to the surface of the eyelid), the conjunctival sac under the eyelid is located deep towards the rear at an angle along the wall of the eyeball, so when trying to open the eyelids of a person with deep-set eyes using a conventional eyelid speculum (an eyelid speculum in which the opening direction of the hooking part narrows or widens while facing in the plane of the eyelid), the hooking part ends up lifting the eyelid excessively forward, which can result in the eyelid becoming more recessed and making surgical operations more difficult, or in the formation of more fluid pooling and reducing visibility, or in the event of damaging the eyelid tissue and inducing ptosis after surgery.

[0011] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an eyelid speculum that can easily and safely open the eyelids of any patient during ophthalmic surgery such as cataract surgery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an eyelid retractor used to open eyelids in ophthalmic surgery, comprising a first hooking part hooked to the eyelid margin of the upper eyelid, a second hooking part hooked to the eyelid margin of the lower eyelid, and a gripping mechanism that narrows or widens the gap between the first hooking part and the second hooking part, wherein when narrowing the gap between the first hooking part and the second hooking part, the gripping mechanism changes the opening direction of the first hooking part from above the upper eyelid to behind the eyeball, and changes the opening direction of the second hooking part from below the lower eyelid to behind the eyeball, while when widening the gap between the first hooking part and the second hooking part, the gripping mechanism changes the opening direction of the first hooking part from behind the eyeball to above the upper eyelid, and changes the opening direction of the second hooking part from behind the eyeball to below the lower eyelid.

[0013] According to this, when placing the eyelid speculum on the eyelid, the gripping mechanism narrows the gap between the first and second hooking parts, changing the opening direction from upward or downward to backward, and then, in the process of gradually widening the gap between the first and second hooking parts using the gripping mechanism to change the opening direction from backward to upward or downward, the first and second hooking parts are inserted while sliding simultaneously into the conjunctival sacs of the upper and lower eyelids, and the eyelids are opened while hooked onto the eyelid margins of the upper and lower eyelids, making it possible to open the eyelids of any patient easily and safely.

[0014] The gripping mechanism includes a gripping portion that extends in the vertical direction on the ear side or nose side of the eyelid, a first arm portion that extends from an upper side of the gripping portion toward the upper eyelid and is connected to the first hooking portion, and a second arm portion that extends from a lower side of the gripping portion toward the lower eyelid and is connected to the second hooking portion. When the upper and lower sides of the gripping portion are closed in the approaching direction, the first arm portion and the second arm portion approach each other and move relatively to the eyelid. When the gripping portion rotates about its axis, the first and second hooking portions narrow the gap between them, changing the opening direction from above or below to behind. On the other hand, when the upper and lower portions of the gripping portion are opened in the separating direction, the first and second arm portions rotate about their axis relative to the eyelid while moving away from each other, and the first and second hooking portions widen the gap between them, changing the opening direction from behind to above or below. According to this, when placing the eyelid speculum on the eyelid, the gripping portion is closed to narrow the gap between the first and second hooking portions via the first and second arm portions, thereby changing the opening direction from upward or downward to backward, and then the gripping portion is opened to gradually widen the gap between the first and second hooking portions via the first and second arm portions, thereby changing the opening direction from backward to upward or downward, making it easier to insert the first and second hooking portions while sliding them simultaneously into the conjunctival sacs of the upper and lower eyelids, and making it easier to open the eyelids while they are hooked onto the eyelid margins of the upper and lower eyelids.

[0015] The gripping portion may be formed in a mountain shape along the vertical direction, which allows the upper and lower portions of the gripping portion to be easily and reliably opened and closed in the approaching and separating directions, thereby allowing the distance and opening direction of the first and second hooking portions to be easily and reliably changed.

[0016] The gripping parts may be made of a member having elasticity in a direction that opens the upper and lower parts, so that when the gripping force is reduced from a closed state, the elasticity of the gripping parts causes the gripping parts to automatically open in the direction away from each other, allowing the eyelids to open smoothly.

[0017] The gripping parts may also be provided with a spring member that biases the upper and lower parts in a direction that opens them. In this way, when the gripping force is reduced from a closed state of the gripping parts, the biasing force of the spring member of the gripping parts causes the gripping parts to automatically open in the direction that separates them, allowing the eyelids to open smoothly.

[0018] The grip portion may be formed of an elastically deformable linear member, and the upper and lower portions may be formed in a loop shape. That is, the grip portion may include an upper portion having one end connected to a first arm portion and extending toward the ear or nose of the eyelid, a lower portion having one end connected to a second arm portion and extending toward the ear or nose of the eyelid, and a loop portion having one end connected to the other end of the upper portion and the other end connected to the other end of the lower portion, the loop portion being looped between the upper and lower portions, and the elastic force of the loop portion biasing the upper and lower portions in an opening direction. This allows the upper and lower portions of the grip portion to be easily and reliably opened and closed in a moving toward or away from each other, thereby easily and reliably changing the spacing and opening direction of the first and second hooking portions. In addition, when the gripping force of the gripping portion is weakened from a closed state, the upper and lower portions of the gripping portion automatically open apart due to the elastic force of the loop portion, allowing the eyelids to open smoothly. Furthermore, because the structure is simply a loop formed from an elastically deformable linear member, the manufacturing costs of the eyelid speculum can be reduced.

[0019] The gripping portion may be provided with a stopper that prevents the upper and lower portions from opening to an angle greater than a predetermined angle. This prevents the gripping portion from opening to an angle greater than the predetermined angle.

[0020] The first and second arms may extend from the upper and lower portions of the gripping portion toward the first and second hooking portions, respectively, so as to be separated from each other. This allows the gripping portion to be positioned posterior to the hooking portions when the eyelid speculum is placed on the eyelid, making it easier to manipulate the instrument during surgery.

[0021] The first and second hooking portions may be positioned further rearward than the first and second arms, which makes it easier to insert the first and second hooking portions into the conjunctival sacs of the upper and lower eyelids while simultaneously sliding them, and also makes it easier to open the eyelids while hooked onto the eyelid margins of the upper and lower eyelids, making it possible to easily install the eyelid speculum even on patients with deep-set eyes.

[0022] The first and second hooking portions may also include a sliding portion inserted into the conjunctival sac on the back side of the eyelid and a hooking portion hooked onto the eyelid margin. This allows the eyelids to be opened easily and safely with a simple configuration by inserting the sliding portions of the first and second hooking portions into the conjunctival sac of the upper and lower eyelids while sliding them, and hooking the hooking portions of the first and second hooking portions onto the eyelid margins of the upper and lower eyelids.

[0023] Furthermore, when the opening direction is changed from rear to upward or downward, the first and second hooking portions may maintain a state inclined rearward at an angle of 25° to 45° relative to the plane of the eyelids, thereby preventing the eyelid margins of the upper and lower eyelids from lifting excessively forward when the eyelids are opened with this eyelid speculum.

[0024] The first and second hooking portions may be provided with a second gripping mechanism for assisting in narrowing or widening the gap between them, so that the gap between the first and second hooking portions can be narrowed or widened in an auxiliary manner by opening and closing the second gripping mechanism.

[0025] Furthermore, the eyelid retractor according to the present invention is an eyelid retractor used to open eyelids in ophthalmic surgery, and comprises a first hooking portion hooked onto the eyelid margin of the upper eyelid, a second hooking portion hooked onto the eyelid margin of the lower eyelid, and a connecting mechanism that narrows or widens the gap between the first hooking portion and the second hooking portion, wherein when narrowing the gap between the first hooking portion and the second hooking portion, the connecting mechanism changes the opening direction of the first hooking portion from above the upper eyelid to behind the eyeball, and changes the opening direction of the second hooking portion from below the lower eyelid to behind the eyeball, while when widening the gap between the first hooking portion and the second hooking portion, the connecting mechanism changes the opening direction of the first hooking portion from behind the eyeball to above the upper eyelid, and changes the opening direction of the second hooking portion from behind the eyeball to below the lower eyelid.

[0026] According to this, when the eyelid retractor is placed on the eyelid, the distance between the first and second hooking parts is narrowed by the connecting mechanism, thereby changing the opening direction from upward or downward to backward, and then the distance between the first and second hooking parts is gradually widened by the connecting mechanism, thereby changing the opening direction from backward to upward or downward, and in the process, the first and second hooking parts are inserted while sliding simultaneously into the conjunctival sacs of the upper and lower eyelids, and the eyelids are opened while hooked onto the eyelid margins of the upper and lower eyelids, making it possible to open the eyelids of any patient easily and safely. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] According to the present invention, when placing the eyelid speculum on the eyelid, the gripping mechanism is used to narrow the gap between the first and second hooking parts, thereby changing the opening direction from upward or downward to backward, and then the gripping mechanism is used to gradually widen the gap between the first and second hooking parts, thereby changing the opening direction from backward to upward or downward, thereby inserting the first and second hooking parts while sliding them simultaneously into the conjunctival sacs of the upper and lower eyelids, and opening the eyelids while they are hooked onto the eyelid margins of the upper and lower eyelids, thereby making it possible to open the eyelids of any patient easily and safely.

[0028] Furthermore, when the spacing between the hooking parts is widened, both the distal and proximal ends of the hooking parts are easily opened, ensuring a sufficient field of view during surgery.

[0029] Furthermore, because the hooking part does not lift the eyelid forward or lifts it to a reduced extent, when installing an eyelid speculum on a person with deep-set eyes, it is possible to prevent the eyelid from becoming more prominent, making surgical operations more difficult, increasing the amount of fluid pooling and reducing visibility, or damaging the eyelid tissue and inducing ptosis after surgery. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an eyelid speculum according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2A is a plan view, FIG. 2B is a side view, and FIG. 2C is a bottom view of the eyelid speculum of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 2A and 2B are a rear view and a front view, respectively, of the eyelid speculum of FIG. 1, and an explanatory view of the angle of the eyelid speculum of FIG. [Figure 4] 2A, 2B, and 2C are a plan view, a rear view, and a front view, respectively, of the eyelid speculum shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the operation of the eyelid speculum. [Figure 5] 2 is a plan view showing the process of opening the eyelids with the eyelid speculum of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a front view showing the process of opening the eyelids with the eyelid speculum of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a plan view of an eyelid speculum according to another embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an eyelid speculum according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an eyelid speculum according to another embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an eyelid speculum according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view of the eyelid speculum of FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is a photograph showing a conventional eyelid speculum. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] First Embodiment Next, a first embodiment of an eyelid retractor according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. In the present invention, the eyelid G of a patient undergoing surgery consists of an upper eyelid G1 and a lower eyelid G2, and the direction in which the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2 are aligned is defined as the vertical direction (the vertical direction in Figure 5(a) and the horizontal direction in Figure 6(a)), the direction in which the eyelid G extends is defined as the horizontal direction (the horizontal direction in Figure 5(a)), and the direction that penetrates the eyelid G is defined as the front-to-back direction (the vertical direction in Figure 6(a)).

[0032] [Configuration of this eyelid speculum] As shown in FIG. 1, the eyelid speculum includes a gripping portion 1, an arm portion 2 provided on the gripping portion 1, and a hook portion 3 provided on the tip of the arm portion 2.

[0033] The gripping portion 1 is formed in a mountain-shaped shape that is bent in the vertical direction as a whole, and is equipped with a first gripping plate portion 11 (upper portion) arranged on the upper side, a second gripping plate portion 12 (lower portion) arranged on the lower side, and a hinge portion 13 that connects the first gripping plate portion 11 and the second gripping plate portion 12 so that they can be opened and closed.

[0034] The first gripping plate 11 and the second gripping plate 12 are both plate-like members formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view, and are abutted against each other while forming a mountain-like shape. The abutted portion of the first gripping plate 11 and the second gripping plate 12 forms the apex K of the mountain-like shape of the gripping part 1.

[0035] Furthermore, the upper end 11a of the first gripping plate 11 is bent backward toward the patient's face, while the lower end 12a of the second gripping plate 12 is bent backward toward the patient's face. Therefore, by gripping the upper end 11a and the lower end 12a of the first gripping plate 11 and the second gripping plate 12 with fingers, the gripping portion 1 can be easily opened and closed around the peak K of the mountain-shaped shape as a base.

[0036] The hinge portion 13 comprises a first hinge piece 131 provided on the back surface of the first gripping plate portion 11, a second hinge piece 132 provided on the back surface of the second gripping plate portion 12, and an axis portion 133 that supports the first hinge piece 131 and the second hinge piece 132 in a rotatable state, and as the first hinge piece 131 and the second hinge piece 132 open and close around the axis portion 133, the first gripping plate portion 11 and the second gripping plate portion 12 open and close via the hinge portion 13.

[0037] In addition, the hinge portion 13 has a spring member 134 on the back surface, which biases the first gripping plate portion 11 and the second gripping plate portion 12 in the direction of opening them, with the top portion K of the gripping portion 1 as the base axis.

[0038] The gripping portion 1 is provided with a stopper 14 on the surface side of the top portion K. This stopper 14 is formed in a mountain shape along the up-down direction as a whole, and is composed of a first stopper piece 141 fixed to the surface of the first gripping plate 11 and a second stopper piece 142 that abuts against the surface of the second gripping plate 12. With this, when the first gripping plate 11 and the second gripping plate 12 open in the separating direction due to the biasing force of the hinge portion 13, the second stopper piece 142 of the stopper 14 abuts against the second gripping plate 12, thereby preventing the first gripping plate 11 and the second gripping plate 12 from opening beyond a predetermined angle (the bending angle of the stopper 14).

[0039] The arm portion 2 comprises a first arm portion 21 having an elongated plate shape provided on the first gripping plate portion 11 of the gripping portion 1, and a second arm portion 22 having an elongated plate shape provided on the second gripping plate portion 12 of the gripping portion 1.

[0040] The first arm portion 21 extends from the first gripping plate portion 11 of the gripping unit 1 toward the upper eyelid G1 in the left-right direction. The second arm portion 22 extends from the second gripping plate portion 12 of the gripping unit 1 toward the lower eyelid G2 in the left-right direction. Therefore, the first arm portion 21 and the second arm portion 22 extend substantially parallel to each other in the left-right direction of the eyelid G, spaced a predetermined distance from each other.

[0041] The hook portion 3 includes a first hook portion 31 provided at the tip of the first arm portion 21 and a second hook portion 32 provided at the tip of the second arm portion 22.

[0042] The first hooking portion 31 includes a plate-shaped sliding portion 31a that is inserted into the conjunctival sac behind the upper eyelid G1, and a hooking portion 31b that is hooked onto the eyelid margin of the upper eyelid G1. The sliding portion 31a extends obliquely upward and rearward relative to the upper eyelid G1. The hooking portion 31b extends obliquely upward and frontward from the tip and base ends of the sliding portion 31a while bending.

[0043] The second hooking portion 32 includes a plate-shaped sliding portion 32a that is inserted into the conjunctival sac behind the lower eyelid G2, and a hooking portion 32b that is hooked onto the eyelid margin of the lower eyelid G2. The sliding portion 32a extends obliquely downward and posteriorly relative to the lower eyelid G2. The hooking portion 32b extends obliquely downward and posteriorly from the tip and base ends of the sliding portion 32a.

[0044] Thus, when the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 are hooked onto the eyelid margins of the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2, the slide portion 31a is inserted diagonally upward and backward into the conjunctival sac of the upper eyelid G1, and the slide portion 32a is inserted diagonally downward and backward into the conjunctival sac of the lower eyelid G1, and the hooking portions 31b and 32b are hooked onto the eyelid margins of the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2, respectively, so that the eyelid margins of the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2 are positioned between the slide portions 31a and 32a and the hooking portions 31b and 32b.

[0045] Furthermore, because the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 are connected to the first arm portion 21 and the second arm portion 22 via the hooking portions 31b and 32b on the base end side, when this eyelid speculum is placed on the eyelid G, the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 are located further posterior than the first arm portion 21 and the second arm portion 22. This makes it easier to insert the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 while simultaneously sliding them into the conjunctival sac of the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2, and also makes it easier to open the eyelid G while hooked onto the eyelid margins of the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2, making it possible to easily place this eyelid speculum even on patients with deep-set eyes.

[0046] As shown in Figure 3(b), the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 are formed in a U-shape when viewed from the front by the slide portions 31a, 32a and the hook portions 31b, 32b, and the opening direction of the U-shape (in this embodiment, the direction extending upward or downward of the slide portion 32a) is defined as the opening direction.

[0047] [Operation of this eyelid speculum] Next, the operation of the eyelid speculum will be described with reference to FIG.

[0048] First, when the eyelid speculum is in its natural open state (dotted line in Figure 4), the first gripping plate 11 and the second gripping plate 12 of the gripping portion 1 are grasped and a gripping force is applied inward while resisting the biasing force of the spring member 134 of the hinge portion 13. As shown by the solid line in Figure 4, the gripping portion 1 bends backward, and the first gripping plate 11 and the second gripping plate 12 close in the proximal direction, using the apex K of the mountain-shaped shape as the base axis.

[0049] As the first gripping plate 11 and the second gripping plate 12 close in this manner, the first arm 21 and the second arm 22 approach each other and rotate about an axis within a range of 90 degrees relative to the eyelid G. At this time, as shown by the solid line in Figure 4(c), the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 narrow the distance between each other and change their position relative to the eyelid G from a lying state to an upright state, and accordingly the opening direction of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 changes from upward or downward to backward, and finally the eyelid speculum transitions to the closed state (solid line in Figure 4). At this time, the opening directions of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 are facing the same backward direction.

[0050] On the other hand, when the eyelid speculum is in a closed state (solid line in Figure 4), if the gripping force on the gripping portion 1 is weakened, the spring force of the spring member 134 of the hinge portion 13 causes the gripping portion 1 to return to its original open state, as shown by the dotted line in Figure 4, and the first gripping plate portion 11 and the second gripping plate portion 12 open in the direction away from each other, using the apex K of the mountain-shaped shape as the base axis.

[0051] As the first gripping plate 11 and the second gripping plate 12 move apart in this manner, the first arm 21 and the second arm 22 rotate about an axis within a 90-degree range relative to the eyelid G while moving away from each other. At this time, as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 4(c), the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 move away from each other and change their position from an upright position to a sideways position relative to the eyelid G, and accordingly, the opening direction of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 changes from rearward to upward or downward, and finally, the eyelid speculum transitions to an open state (dotted lines in FIG. 4). At this time, the opening directions of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 are facing in opposite directions, upward and downward, respectively.

[0052] In this embodiment, when the eyelid speculum is in a natural, fully open state (dotted line in FIG. 4), the first gripping plate 11 and the second gripping plate 12 of the gripping portion 1 are tilted backward with respect to the plane of the eyelid (a plane consisting of the left-right direction in FIG. 5 and the up-down direction in FIG. 5), and accordingly, the opening directions of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 are also tilted backward and facing upward and downward with respect to the plane of the eyelid G. The tilt angle α of the opening directions of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 is not particularly limited, but is preferably within the range of 25° to 45° with respect to the plane of the eyelid G (see FIG. 3(c)).

[0053] Furthermore, in the fully closed state (solid line in FIG. 4) of this eyelid speculum, the first gripping plate 11 and the second gripping plate 12 of the gripping portion 1 are inclined nearly perpendicular to the plane of the eyelid G, and accordingly the opening direction of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 is also inclined nearly perpendicular to the plane of the eyelid G. The inclination angle β of the opening direction of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 at this time is not particularly limited, but is preferably within the range of an inclination angle of 60° to 90° with respect to the plane of the eyelid G (see FIG. 3(c)).

[0054] [How to install this eyelid speculum] Next, a method for placing the eyelid speculum on the eyelid G will be described.

[0055] 5(a) and 6(a), when the eyelid speculum is placed a predetermined distance in front of the eyelid G, as the first and second gripping plates 11 and 12 of the gripping unit 1, which is in a fully open, natural state, are closed in a proximity direction around the peak K of the mountain shape against the biasing force of the spring member 134, the first and second arms 21 and 22 rotate about their axes relative to the eyelid G while approaching each other, and accordingly the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32 narrow the distance between each other and change their position from a reclined position to an upright position relative to the eyelid G, thereby transitioning the eyelid speculum to a fully closed state. At this time, the opening direction of the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32 changes from above and below to behind the eyelid G.

[0056] As shown in Figures 5(b) and 6(b), when this eyelid retractor is hooked onto the eyelid G, the first gripping plate portion 11 and the second gripping plate portion 12 of the closed gripping portion 1 are gradually opened in the direction away from each other by the force of the spring member 134, with the mountain-shaped apex K as the base axis, and the first arm portion 21 and the second arm portion 22 rotate about their axis relative to the eyelid G while moving away from each other, and accordingly the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 gradually change their position from an upright state to an inclined state relative to the eyelid G while widening the gap between them. At this time, the opening direction of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 changes from posterior to the eyelid G to posteriorly diagonally upward and posteriorly diagonally downward relative to the eyelid G, so that the sliding portions 31a, 32a of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 are inserted while simultaneously sliding posteriorly diagonally upward and posteriorly diagonally downward into the conjunctival sac on the back side of the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2, respectively.

[0057] As shown in Figures 5(c) and 6(c), when the eyelid G is opened using this eyelid retractor, the first and second holding plate portions 11 and 12 of the holding portion 1, which is in a partially open state, are further opened apart by the force of the spring member 134, with the mountain-shaped apex K as the base axis, and the first arm portion 21 and the second arm portion 22 rotate about their axis relative to the eyelid G while moving away from each other, and accordingly the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 gradually change their position from an inclined state to a horizontal state relative to the eyelid G while further increasing the distance between them. At this time, the opening direction of the first hooking part 31 and the second hooking part 32 changes from the rear obliquely upward and rear obliquely downward to the upward and downward with respect to the eyelid G, so the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2 are opened to a predetermined position while the hooking parts 31b and 32b of the first hooking part 31 and the second hooking part 32 are hooked onto the eyelid margins of the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2, respectively. Thereafter, the gripping part 1 of the eyelid speculum is placed on the face or a drape on the side of the eyeball E to maintain the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2 open.

[0058] In this way, when placing the eyelid speculum on the eyelid G, the gripping portion 1 is closed to narrow the gap between the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 via the first arm portion 21 and the second arm portion 22, thereby changing the opening direction from upward or downward to backward, and then the gripping portion 1 is opened to gradually widen the gap between the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 via the first arm portion 21 and the second arm portion 22, thereby changing the opening direction from backward to upward or downward, and the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 are simultaneously slid and inserted into the conjunctival sac of the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2, and the eyelids are opened while they are hooked onto the eyelid margins of the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2, thereby allowing the eyelid G to be opened easily and safely.

[0059] When removing the eyelid speculum after surgery, the eyelid speculum can be easily and reliably removed from the eyelid G by performing the reverse of the above-described procedure for installing the eyelid speculum.

[0060] In this embodiment, the gripping portion 1, the first arm portion 21, and the second arm portion 22 are configured as a gripping mechanism, but other configurations of gripping mechanisms may also be used. In short, the configuration of the gripping mechanism is not limited as long as it changes the opening direction of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 from above or below to behind with respect to the eyelid G when narrowing the gap between the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32, and changes the opening direction of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 from behind to above or below with respect to the eyelid G when widening the gap between the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32.

[0061] Furthermore, although the grip portion 1 is formed in a mountain-like shape that is bent in the vertical direction, it may be formed in a mountain-like shape that is gently curved in the vertical direction. Alternatively, the grip portion 1 may be flat in its natural open state and transition to a mountain-like shape when it is closed by applying a gripping force.

[0062] In addition, the gripping portion 1 is biased in the direction of opening the first gripping plate portion 11 and the second gripping plate portion 12 by the spring member 134, but the first gripping plate portion 11 and the second gripping plate portion 12 may also be biased in the direction of opening them by the elastic force of the gripping portion 1.

[0063] Furthermore, the gripping portion 1 is provided with a stopper 14 that prevents the first gripping plate portion 11 and the second gripping plate portion 12 from opening beyond a predetermined angle, but the stopper 14 does not have to be provided.

[0064] Furthermore, the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 are configured to include slide portions 31a, 32a that are inserted into the conjunctival sac on the back side of the eyelid G, and hook portions 31b, 32b that are hooked onto the eyelid margin, but other configurations are also possible.

[0065] Furthermore, although the slide portions 31a and 31b of the hook portion 3 are formed in a plate shape, they may be formed as elastically deformable linear members as shown in FIG.

[0066] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the gripping portion 1 may have a first gripping plate portion 11 and a second gripping plate portion 12 formed of leaf spring members, and the central vertex portion K of both of them may function like the hinge portion 13 of the gripping portion 1 shown in Figure 1.

[0067] Furthermore, although the first arm 21 and the second arm 22 extend parallel to each other from the first gripping plate 11 and the second gripping plate 12 of the gripping unit 1 toward the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32, they do not necessarily have to extend parallel to each other. For example, as shown in Fig. 8, the first arm 21 and the second arm 22 may extend from the upper and lower portions of the gripping unit 1 toward the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 so as to be close to each other. This allows the gripping unit 1 to be positioned posterior to the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 when the eyelid speculum is placed on the eyelid G, making it easier to manipulate the instrument during surgery.

[0068] Furthermore, the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 may be provided with a second gripping mechanism to assist in narrowing or widening the gap between them. For example, as shown in Fig. 8, if the hooking portion 31b on the distal end side of the first hooking portion 31 and the hooking portion 32b on the second hooking portion 32 of this eyelid speculum are formed long, these distal end side hooking portions 31b, 32b function as the second gripping mechanism. In this way, the gap between the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 can be narrowed or widened supplementarily by opening and closing the second gripping mechanism (the distal end side hooking portions 31b, 32b).

[0069] Furthermore, the eyelid speculum may open and close the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 by a connecting mechanism instead of the gripping mechanism consisting of the gripping portion 1 and the arm portion 2. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 9, this connecting mechanism includes two elastic connecting portions 15, 15 having a restoring force that connect both ends of the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32 along the vertical direction. According to this, when placing this eyelid retractor on the eyelid G, the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32 are pressed in the direction of approximation while the connecting portions 15, 15 of the connecting mechanism are closed in a mountain shape, thereby narrowing the gap between the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32 and changing the opening direction from upward or downward to backward, and then the pressure on the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32 is gradually weakened while the connecting portions 15, 15 of the connecting mechanism are opened, thereby gradually widening the gap between the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32 and changing the opening direction from backward to upward or downward. During this operation, the slide portions 31a, 32a of the first and second hooking portions 31, 32 are simultaneously slid and inserted into the conjunctival sacs of the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2, and the hook portions 31b, 32b of the first and second hooking portions 31, 32 are hooked onto the eyelid margins of the upper eyelid G1 and the lower eyelid G2, thereby allowing the eyelid G to be opened easily and safely with the first and second hooking portions hooked onto the eyelid margins of the eyelid G.

[0070] The eyelid speculum shown in FIG. 9 may be provided with a detachable gripping mechanism consisting of the gripper 1 and arm 2 as shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, the tips of the first arm 21 and the second arm 22 are detachably connected to the hooks 31b and 32b. With this, after the eyelid speculum is placed on the eyelid G using the gripper 1 and arm 2, the gripper 1 and arm 2 can be removed from the eyelid speculum during surgery. On the other hand, when removing the eyelid speculum from the eyelid G, the gripper 1 and arm 2 can be reconnected to the eyelid speculum, and then the eyelid speculum can be removed from the eyelid G using the gripper 1 and arm 2. Also, the eyelid speculum may be placed on or removed from the eyelid G using an instrument other than the gripper 1 and arm 2.

[0071] Furthermore, the material of the eyelid speculum is not particularly limited, but it may be formed from one or more materials such as PMMA, urethane resin, acrylic resin, silicone rubber, polypropylene, polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer, olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer, polyacetal polymer, metals such as stainless steel and titanium, and resins or rubbers with good shape recovery properties.

[0072] <Second embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the eyelid speculum according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. Note that only configurations that differ from the above embodiment will be described below, and the same configurations will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0073] As shown in Figure 10, the eyelid speculum of this embodiment is configured such that the gripping portion 1, the arm portion 2 (the first arm portion 21 and the second arm portion 22), and the hooking portion 3 (the first hooking portion 31 and the second hooking portion 32) are formed by bending a single elastically deformable linear member made of metal or the like.

[0074] As shown in Figure 10, the gripping portion 1 has an upper portion 11 whose one end is connected to the first arm portion 21 and extends in the left-right direction toward the ear or nose side of the eyelid, a lower portion 12 whose other end is connected to the second arm portion 22 and extends in the left-right direction toward the ear or nose side of the eyelid, a loop portion 16 provided between the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12, and a hinge grip portion 17 provided behind the loop portion 16.

[0075] The loop portion 16 is connected in a manner that one end is folded back to the other end of the upper portion 11, and the other end is connected in a manner that it is folded back to the other end of the lower portion 12, and is formed in an approximately circular loop shape between the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12.

[0076] To explain the shape of the loop portion 16 in detail, as shown in FIG. 11 , in a plan view (left-right and up-down directions), the loop portion 16 extends diagonally downward to the left in FIG. 11 from the other end portion on the left side of the upper portion 11 toward the lower portion 12, then gently bends diagonally upward to the left in FIG. 11 at a first bending point P1, then gently bends diagonally upward to the right in FIG. 11 at a second bending point P2 toward the upper portion 11, and then gently bends diagonally downward to the right in FIG. 11 at a third bending point P3, and is connected to the other end portion on the left side of the lower portion 12.

[0077] In addition, in a side view (left-right and front-to-back direction), it extends diagonally forward to the left from the other end on the left side of the upper portion 11, extends while gently bending diagonally backward to the left at a first bending point P1, extends diagonally forward to the right while gently bending at a second bending point P2, extends diagonally backward to the right while gently bending at a third bending point P3, and is connected to the other end on the left side of the lower portion 12.

[0078] Furthermore, the loop portion 16 has a spring-like elastic force due to the above-described structure, and the elastic force of this loop portion 16 urges the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12 in the opening direction. Note that, although the loop portion 16 forms one loop in this embodiment, this is not limited thereto, and two or more loops may be formed. Furthermore, the loop portion 16 may extend vertically forward from the arm portions 21 and 22.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 11(a), the first arm portion 21 and the second arm portion 22 are formed in a V-shape with the ends on the hook portion 3 side being farther apart than the ends on the grip portion 1 side when the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12 of the grip portion 1 are naturally open, and as shown in FIG. 11(b), when the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12 of the grip portion 1 are closed in the approaching direction, they become parallel to each other.

[0080] The hinge grip portion 17 is a strip-shaped member installed between the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12. This hinge grip portion 17 is a second gripping mechanism that assists the gripping mechanism composed of the upper portion 11, the lower portion 12, and the loop portion 16, and prevents the eyelid speculum from losing its shape when the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12 are opened and closed, and prevents the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12 from opening beyond a predetermined angle when the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12 are opened. Furthermore, by having two gripping mechanisms with different structures but the same opening and closing function, it is possible to improve the spring force and achieve very smooth opening and closing.

[0081] Furthermore, a drainage device that drains liquid from within the eyelid G is connected and fixed to the rear of the hinge grip portion 17. This allows the drainage device and the eyelid speculum to be installed integrally by placing the eyelid speculum on the eyelid G.

[0082] When the eyelid speculum is in its natural open state (FIG. 11(a)), if the upper and lower portions 11 and 12 of the gripping portion 1 are gripped and a gripping force is applied inward against the biasing force of the loop portion 16, the loop portion 16 will rise up in front of the upper and lower portions 11 and 12, and the upper and lower portions 11 and 12 will close together.

[0083] As the upper and lower portions 11 and 12 close in this manner, the first and second arms 21 and 22 approach each other and rotate about an axis within a 90-degree range relative to the eyelid G. At this time, the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32 narrow the distance between each other and change their position relative to the eyelid G from a lying position to an upright position, and accordingly the opening direction of the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32 changes from upward or downward to backward, and the eyelid speculum finally transitions to a closed state (FIG. 11(b)). At this time, the opening directions of the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32 are facing backward in the same direction.

[0084] On the other hand, when the gripping force on the gripping portion 1 is weakened while the eyelid speculum is closed (Figure 11(b)), the loop portion 16 sinks backward to return to its original position, and the upper portion 11 and lower portion 12 open apart.

[0085] As the upper and lower portions 11 and 12 move apart in this manner, the first and second arms 21 and 22 rotate about their axes within a 90-degree range relative to the eyelid G while moving away from each other. At this time, the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32 move apart from each other and change their position from an upright position to a sideways position relative to the eyelid G, and accordingly, the opening direction of the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32 changes from rear to upward or downward, until the eyelid speculum finally transitions to the open state (FIG. 11(a)). At this time, the opening directions of the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32 are facing in opposite directions, upward and downward, respectively.

[0086] This allows the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12 of the gripping portion 1 to be easily and reliably opened and closed in the approaching and separating directions, thereby making it possible to easily and reliably change the spacing and opening direction between the first and second hooking portions 31 and 32. Furthermore, when the gripping force is gradually reduced from a closed state of the gripping portion 1, the elastic force of the loop portion 16 causes the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12 of the gripping portion 1 to automatically open in the separating direction, thereby allowing the eyelid G to be opened smoothly. Furthermore, because the gripping portion 1 is configured simply by forming an elastically deformable linear member into a loop, the manufacturing costs of the eyelid speculum can be reduced.

[0087] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. Various modifications and variations can be made to the illustrated embodiments within the same scope as the present invention or within an equivalent scope. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 1...Gripping part 11...Upper portion (first gripping plate portion) 12... Lower portion (second gripping plate portion) 13...Hinge part 131...First hinge piece 132...Second hinge piece 133...shaft 134...Spring member 14...Stopper 141...First stopper piece 142...Second stopper piece 15...Connection part 16...Loop section 17...Hinge grip part 2...Arm section 21...First arm 22...Second arm 3…Latching part 31...First latching portion 31a...Slide section 31b...Hook part 32...Second latching portion 32a...Slide section 32b...Hook part

Claims

1. An eyelid speculum used to open eyelids in ophthalmic surgery, comprising: a first hooking portion that is hooked onto the eyelid margin of the upper eyelid; a second hooking portion that is hooked onto the eyelid margin of the lower eyelid; a gripping mechanism that narrows or widens the gap between the first and second hooking portions, When narrowing the gap between the first hooking portion and the second hooking portion, the gripping mechanism changes the opening direction of the first hooking portion from above the upper eyelid side to behind the eyeball side, and changes the opening direction of the second hooking portion from below the lower eyelid side to behind the eyeball side, When widening the gap between the first and second hooking portions, the opening direction of the first hooking portion is changed from the rear of the eyeball side to an upper side toward the upper eyelid side, and the opening direction of the second hooking portion is changed from the rear of the eyeball side to a lower side toward the lower eyelid side.

2. The gripping mechanism includes a gripping portion extending in the vertical direction on the ear side or nose side of the eyelid, a first arm portion extending from an upper portion of the grip portion toward the upper eyelid and connected to the first hook portion; a second arm portion extending from a lower portion of the grip portion toward the lower eyelid and connected to the second hook portion, When the upper and lower parts of the gripping portion are closed in the approaching direction, the first arm portion and the second arm portion approach each other and rotate about an axis relative to the eyelid, and accordingly, the first hooking portion and the second hooking portion narrow the gap between each other and change the opening direction from upward or downward to backward.

2. The eyelid opening device according to claim 1, wherein when the upper and lower portions of the gripping portion are opened in the direction away from each other, the first arm portion and the second arm portion rotate about an axis relative to the eyelid while moving away from each other, and accordingly the first hooking portion and the second hooking portion widen the gap between each other and change the opening direction from rear to upward or downward.

3. The eyelid speculum according to claim 2, wherein the gripping portion is formed in a mountain shape along the vertical direction.

4. 4. The eyelid speculum according to claim 2, wherein the gripping portion is made of a member having elasticity in a direction in which the upper and lower portions are opened.

5. 5. The eyelid speculum according to claim 2, wherein the gripping portion is provided with a spring member that biases the upper and lower portions in a direction to open the upper and lower portions.

6. The gripping portion is configured by an elastically deformable linear member, an upper portion having one end connected to the first arm portion and extending toward the ear or nose relative to the eyelid; a lower portion having one end connected to the second arm portion and extending toward the ear or nose relative to the eyelid; a loop portion having one end portion connected to the other end portion of the upper portion in a folded-back manner and the other end portion connected to the other end portion of the lower portion in a folded-back manner, the loop portion being formed in a loop shape between the upper portion and the lower portion; 3. The eyelid speculum according to claim 2, wherein the upper and lower parts are biased in an opening direction by the elastic force of the loop part.

7. 7. The eyelid speculum according to claim 2, wherein the gripping portion is provided with a stopper that prevents the upper and lower portions from opening beyond a predetermined angle.

8. 8. The eyelid speculum according to claim 2, wherein the first arm portion and the second arm portion extend from the upper and lower portions of the gripping portion toward the first hooking portion and the second hooking portion so as to be separated from each other.

9. 9. The eyelid speculum according to claim 2, wherein the first hook portion and the second hook portion are provided so as to be positioned rearward of the first arm portion and the second arm portion.

10. 10. The eyelid speculum according to claim 1, wherein the first hooking portion and the second hooking portion comprise a slide portion that is inserted into the conjunctival sac on the back side of the eyelid, and a hook portion that is hooked onto the eyelid margin.

11. 11. The eyelid retractor according to claim 1, wherein the first hooking portion and the second hooking portion maintain a state inclined backward within a range of an inclination angle of 25° to 45° with respect to the planar direction of the eyelid when the opening direction is changed from backward to upward or downward.

12. 12. The eyelid speculum according to claim 1, wherein the first hooking portion and the second hooking portion are provided with a second gripping mechanism for assisting in narrowing or widening the gap between them.

13. An eyelid speculum used to open eyelids in ophthalmic surgery, comprising: a first hooking portion that is hooked onto the eyelid margin of the upper eyelid; a second hooking portion that is hooked onto the eyelid margin of the lower eyelid; a connecting mechanism that narrows or widens the gap between the first hook portion and the second hook portion, When narrowing the gap between the first hooking portion and the second hooking portion, the connecting mechanism changes the opening direction of the first hooking portion from above the upper eyelid side to behind the eyeball side, and changes the opening direction of the second hooking portion from below the lower eyelid side to behind the eyeball side, When widening the gap between the first and second hooking portions, the opening direction of the first hooking portion is changed from the rear of the eyeball side to an upper side toward the upper eyelid side, and the opening direction of the second hooking portion is changed from the rear of the eyeball side to a lower side toward the lower eyelid side.

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