Electroretinography Ocular Interface for Tear-Managed Signal Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current electroretinography devices are expensive, difficult to clean, uncomfortable, unstable on the eye, and produce inconsistent signals due to issues like corneal abrasion, tear trapping, and inconsistent measurements caused by varying pupil diameters.
Innovation Solution
The electroretinography devices are designed with an ocular member featuring a proximal and distal portion, including recesses and grooves to manage tears, a flexible material to conform to the eye, and a conductive element for stable signal detection, ensuring better fit and reduced discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reusable electroretinography devices are used, then measurement capability is maintained, but cleaning difficulty and corneal abrasion risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into a reusable body portion and a disposable ocular interface portion. The disposable portion can be easily discarded after use, eliminating cleaning requirements while the reusable body maintains measurement capability across multiple uses.
Solution Approach 2:
The ocular interface portion is designed as a disposable component that is inexpensive to manufacture. This allows it to be discarded after a single use, eliminating cleaning complexity and reducing the risk of corneal abrasion from repeated use and sterilization processes.
2Strength
If stiff materials are used for device construction, then structural integrity is improved, but corneal abrasion risk and subject discomfort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ocular interface portion utilizes flexible, soft materials that conform to the curved surface of the eye without causing abrasion. These materials provide sufficient structural integrity for the application while being gentle on the cornea, eliminating the harmful effects of stiff materials.
3Measurement precision
If the device covers a large portion of the eye, then signal detection area is improved, but tear trapping and visual acuity reduction worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The device design extracts or removes the harmful effect of tear trapping by incorporating features that prevent tear accumulation. This allows the device to maintain adequate contact area for signal detection without generating the harmful side effect of tear trapping and visual acuity reduction.
4Ease of repair
If disposable devices are used, then cleaning and reuse complexity is reduced, but measurement stability and signal consistency worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable ocular interface portion is designed to be inexpensive enough to discard after single use, yet engineered with sufficient quality to provide stable measurements. This resolves the contradiction by making high-quality disposable devices economically viable.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods for electrophysiological recording from the eye are disclosed herein. An electroretinography device can detect a biopotential signal from an eye of a subject and transmit the same to a processor. Embodiments of the present technology include one or more features directed to improving the use and operability of an electroretinography device. For example, the device can include a proximal inner surface having a recess feature for removing or receiving fluids trapped between the device and the eye. The recess feature can include one or more grooves, channels or textured surface designed to collect and direct fluids away from the space between the device and the eye. The number, shape, size, position, orientation, and other features of the grooves and channels can be varied.