OPHTHALMIC NEEDLE GUIDE AND METHOD FOR FACILIATE ACCESS TO THE EYE

Claims

1. An ophthalmic needle guide adapted to access the subchoroidal space beneath the choroid of the eye or the suprachoroidal space between the sclera of the eye and the choroid of the eye, comprising: a housing having a contact surface and a guide surface for the needle, wherein the contact surface forms a cavity within the housing, wherein the contact surface extends at least partially along the contact plane, the needle guide surface extends around the needle axis to form a needle guide channel, wherein the needle guide channel extends through the housing to the opening formed by the contact surface, so that the needle guide channel opens into the cavity through the opening, and the needle axis is substantially parallel to the contact plane, wherein the ophthalmic needle guide is designed with the possibility of being positioned on the eye and pulling the sclera section away from the contact surface section.

2. An ophthalmic needle guide according to claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a pressure surface that forms a pressure channel passing through the housing to a second opening formed by the contact surface, so that the pressure channel opens into the cavity through the second opening.

3. An ophthalmic needle guide according to claim 2, wherein the pressure channel passes through the housing to a plurality of openings, wherein the plurality of openings include a second opening and at least one other opening, and wherein the pressure channel opens into the cavity through the plurality of openings.

4. An ophthalmic needle guide according to claim 2, wherein the contact surface has a first surface portion and a second surface portion, wherein the second surface portion extends along the contact plane, and the first surface portion is offset at an angle from the contact plane such that the cavity is formed by the first surface portion and the second surface portion, wherein the first opening is formed by the first surface portion, and wherein the second opening is formed by the second surface portion.

5. An ophthalmic needle guide according to claim 4, wherein the angle between the first portion and the second portion is less than 90 degrees.

6. An ophthalmic needle guide according to claim 4, wherein the contact surface further has a third portion that extends from the first portion, and the third portion is curved such that the third portion approaches the curvature of the eye.

7. The ophthalmic needle guide of claim 1, wherein the contact surface extends between a first radially outermost end and a second radially outermost end, and the cavity is located between the first and second radially outermost ends, and the housing includes a first retaining element located adjacent to the first radially outermost end and a second retaining element located adjacent to the second radially outermost end, and wherein when the ocular surface contacts the contact surface, the first and second retaining elements provide a retaining force to retain the sclera within the cavity.

8. The ophthalmic needle guide of claim 7, wherein the housing includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion, wherein the first housing portion includes a first retaining element, and wherein the second housing portion includes a second surface portion of the contact surface and a second retaining element, wherein the first housing portion is movable relative to the second housing portion such that the housing can move from a retaining position to an open position, wherein in the retaining position the first retaining element is spaced from the second retaining element by a first distance, and wherein in the open position the first retaining element is spaced from the second retaining element by a second distance, which is greater than the first distance.

9. An ophthalmic needle guide according to claim 8, wherein the first part of the housing is designed with the possibility of linear movement relative to the second part of the housing.

10. An ophthalmic needle guide according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion, wherein the first housing portion includes a guide channel for the needle, and the second housing portion includes a contact surface portion extending along the contact plane, in this case the axis of the needle passes through the hole of the contact surface and is opposite the contact plane, and wherein the first part of the housing is configured to move relative to the second part of the housing, so that the housing can move from a first position in depth to a second position in depth, wherein in the first position in depth the axis of the needle is separated from the contact plane by a first distance in depth, and in the second position in depth the axis of the needle is separated from the contact plane by a second distance in depth, which differs from the first distance in depth.

11. The ophthalmic needle guide of claim 1, wherein the contact surface has an outer peripheral edge extending around the contact surface, and the ophthalmic needle guide further comprises: a gasket connected to the housing and extending radially outward from the outer peripheral edge of the contact surface, the gasket comprising a flexible material.

12. An ophthalmic needle guide according to claim 1, wherein the housing extends at least partially circumferentially about the axis of the housing, and wherein the contact surface extends at least partially in a conical shape.

13. An ophthalmic needle guide according to claim 12, wherein the housing comprises a ring for laser vision correction (LASIK).

14. The ophthalmic needle guide of claim 12, wherein the needle guide surface is a first needle guide surface, the needle guide channel is a first needle guide channel, the needle axis is a first needle axis, the opening is a first needle opening, and the contact plane is a first contact plane, wherein the contact surface extends at least partially along the second contact plane, and wherein the housing further includes a second needle guide surface extending around the second axis of the needle guide to form a second needle guide channel, the second needle guide channel extending through the housing to the second needle hole formed by the contact surface, so that the second needle guide channel opens into the cavity through the second needle hole, and the needle axis is substantially parallel to the second contact plane.

15. An ophthalmic needle guide according to claim 1, configured to be positioned on the eye, to pull a portion of the sclera away from the choroid into the cavity and to press it against a portion of the surface of the contact surface.

16. Pharmaceutical kit containing: an ophthalmic needle guide according to claim 1; and a needle configured to be inserted through a needle guide channel along the needle axis.

17. The pharmaceutical kit according to claim 16, wherein the distal tip of the needle has a cone shape.

18. The set according to item 16, additionally containing: a limiter connected to the needle, wherein the needle is configured to be inserted into the cavity of the housing to a predetermined distance, and wherein the limiter is positioned in such a way as to substantially prevent the needle from entering the cavity to a distance exceeding the predetermined distance.

19. An ophthalmic needle guide for gaining access to the subscleral space of the eye, comprising: a first portion of the housing having a first contact surface and a needle guide surface, wherein the needle guide surface extends around the axis of the needle to form a needle guide channel, and the needle guide channel extends through the housing to an opening formed by the first contact surface; and a second portion of the housing having a second contact surface, wherein the second contact surface extends at least partially along the contact plane, wherein the first section of the housing is movable relative to the second section of the housing in such a way that the ophthalmic needle guide can move from the alignment position to the open position, wherein in the alignment position the first contact surface and the second contact surface form a cavity, wherein the guide channel for the needle opens into the cavity through an opening, and the axis of the needle is substantially parallel to the contact plane, and wherein in the open position the axis of the needle is offset at an angle from the contact plane.

20. An ophthalmic needle guide according to claim 19, wherein the first section of the housing is configured to rotate relative to the second section of the housing.

21. The ophthalmic needle guide of claim 19, wherein the first contact surface includes a first at least one retaining element, and wherein the second contact surface includes a second at least one retaining element, and wherein when the ophthalmic needle guide is in the alignment position and the first and second contact surfaces are in contact with the eye, the first at least one retaining element and the second at least one retaining element provide a retaining force for retaining the sclera with the cavity.

22. The ophthalmic needle guide of claim 19, wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface are shaped such that when the ophthalmic needle guide is in the alignment position and the ophthalmic needle guide is positioned on the eye, a portion of the sclera is positioned within the cavity and the surface of the eye is in contact with the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

23. A method of delivering a therapeutic agent to the eye, comprising: placing an ophthalmic needle guide on an eye, wherein the ophthalmic needle guide comprises a housing having a contact surface and a needle guide surface, wherein the contact surface defines a cavity within the housing, the contact surface extends at least partially along the contact plane, the needle guide surface extends around the axis of the needle to form a needle guide channel, the needle guide channel extends through the housing to an opening formed by the contact surface, so that the needle guide channel opens into the cavity through the opening, wherein the axis of the needle is substantially parallel to the contact plane, wherein when the ophthalmic needle guide is positioned on the eye, the sclera portion of the eye is positioned inside the cavity, and the surface of the eye is in contact with the contact surface; and after positioning the ophthalmic needle guide on the eye, inserting the needle through the needle guide channel through the sclera.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the housing further includes a pressure surface that forms a pressure channel passing through the housing to the second opening formed by the contact surface, and the method further includes: providing a negative pressure in the pressure channel so that the negative pressure provides a holding force to hold the sclera within the cavity.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the housing includes a first housing part and a second housing part, wherein the first housing part includes a guide channel for the needle, and the second housing part includes a contact surface extending along the contact plane, wherein the first housing part is configured to move relative to the second housing part, and the method further includes: after positioning the ophthalmic needle guide on the eye, moving the housing from the open position to the holding position, wherein in the holding position the guide channel for the needle is separated from the contact surface on the second part of the housing by a first distance, and wherein in the open position the guide channel for the needle is separated from the contact surface of the second part of the housing by a second distance, which is greater than the first distance.

26. An ophthalmic needle guide for gaining access to the subscleral space of the eye, comprising: a housing having a first contact surface and a guide surface for the rack, wherein the first contact surface forms a cavity within the housing, and the guide surface for the rack forms a channel for the rack within the housing; and a post located at least partially within a channel for the post, wherein the post has a second contact surface and a guide surface for the needle, wherein the guide surface for the needle extends around the axis of the needle through the post to form a guide channel for the needle, the guide channel for the needle has an opening formed by the second contact surface, the axis of the needle has a distal portion of the axis extending substantially linearly from a location within the guide channel for the needle through the opening, wherein the distal portion of the axis of the needle is substantially parallel to at least a portion of the first contact surface, wherein the stand is configured to move within the stand channel to obtain a first position in depth within the cavity and a second position in depth within the cavity, wherein in the first position in depth the distal portion of the needle axis is spaced from the substantially parallel portion of the first contact surface by a first distance in depth, and in the second position in depth the distal portion of the needle axis is spaced from the substantially parallel portion of the first contact surface by a second distance in depth, which differs from the first distance in depth.