Eye Syringe With Integrated Eyelid Retraction and Eye Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current intravitreal injection procedures are lengthy, require significant physical effort, and pose risks such as infection and eye damage due to complex preparation and patient positioning, especially for elderly patients with mobility issues.
Innovation Solution
A syringe design with a distal end that matches the eyeball contour, includes a concave tip to immobilize the eye, and a protruding edge to hold the eyelid away from the needle, allowing precise needle placement and reducing contact with non-sterile areas, thus simplifying the procedure and minimizing infection risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional injection procedure is used with multiple preparation steps, then injection accuracy can be maintained, but procedure time increases significantly and patient comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe integrates multiple functions into a single device: the distal end structure combines eyelid retraction, eye immobilization, and injection functions. The protruding upper edge retracts the eyelid while the concave tip immobilizes the eye, all while the needle performs the injection, eliminating the need for separate speculum and positioning steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The distal end of the syringe serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it acts as an eyelid retractor, an eye stabilizer, and an injection guide. This multi-functional design allows the single device to perform what previously required multiple separate instruments and steps.
2Measurement precision
If patient is positioned lying down for optimal injection, then injection precision is improved, but patient comfort and ease of operation deteriorates due to back pain and mobility issues
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe's distal end structure automatically performs eyelid retraction and eye immobilization when positioned on the eye, without requiring the patient to assume a specific position or assist with the procedure. The protruding edge and concave tip work passively to stabilize the target area.
3Reliability
If multiple instruments and supplies are used for preparation, then sterilization and precision can be maintained, but device complexity and ease of operation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe combines what were previously separate instruments into one unified device. The distal end integrates the eyelid retraction function and eye immobilization function with the injection needle, eliminating the need for separate speculum, stickers, and positioning aids.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates unnecessary intermediate steps and instruments from the procedure. By integrating the stabilization and retraction functions directly into the syringe, it removes the need for separate speculum insertion, sticker application, and complex positioning steps.
4Ease of operation
If eyelashes are raised with stickers, then injection access is improved, but infection risk increases due to difficulty in disinfection and bacterial transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the need for stickers and separate eyelid retraction instruments by integrating the retraction function directly into the syringe's distal end. The protruding upper edge performs the eyelid lifting function that previously required external stickers.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding upper edge of the syringe acts as an intermediary structure that mechanically retracts the eyelid without requiring contact with eyelashes. This eliminates the contamination pathway where stickers or instruments might contact non-sterile eyelashes and transfer bacteria.
Data Source
AI summary
An eye syringe includes an elongated handle. The handle includes a needle that, upon actuation from a retracted position, extends through an opening at a distal end of the handle so as to penetrate an eye of a subject at a predetermined angle. The distal end forms a concave tip shaped to match the contour of, and hold, an outer surface of the eyeball. The distal end has a protruding upper edge configured to be inserted behind an upper eyelid so as to distance the upper eyelid from the needle and hold the upper eyelid in place during the injection. The distal end may also have a lower edge configured to demarcate a border of a portion of the eye—such as the limbus—so as to accurately position the needle. A flap may move to cover the point of injection after the injection.