Moldable Warming Ophthalmic Device for Vibration-Assisted Meibum Liquefaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ocular heating devices for treating Meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease are cumbersome, inconvenient, and lack a controlled temperature delivery, leading to poor patient compliance and ineffective treatment.
Innovation Solution
A moldable warming device with a heating disc and stimulation vibration generators, configured to apply therapeutic warmth and tuned harmonic or non-resonance frequency vibration to the eyelids and nasal bridge, inducing shear thinning and liquefaction of meibum to improve the lipid layer of the tear film.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional ocular heating devices are used, then heating function is provided, but the devices are cumbersome and inconvenient leading to poor patient compliance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines heating elements and vibration generators into a single integrated ophthalmic device that can be worn as eye glasses or eye masks. This merging of multiple therapeutic functions (heating and vibration) into one compact wearable device eliminates the need for separate cumbersome equipment, making the treatment convenient and improving patient compliance while maintaining comprehensive therapeutic capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously - providing controlled heating to the ocular region and generating vibration at specific frequencies to treat different aspects of dry eye disease and Meibomian gland dysfunction. This multi-functional approach allows a single device to address various pathological mechanisms, reducing the need for multiple separate treatments and improving ease of operation.
2Reliability
If conventional heating devices are used, then heating is provided, but controlled temperature delivery is lacking leading to ineffective treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates temperature sensors and control systems that monitor and regulate the temperature delivered to the ocular region. This feedback mechanism ensures that the heating remains within the optimal therapeutic range (37-45°C), preventing overheating while maintaining effective treatment temperature, thereby ensuring reliable and safe treatment outcomes.
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows for adjustable temperature and vibration frequency parameters to be customized based on individual patient needs and specific conditions. The controlled temperature delivery system can modify heating parameters in real-time, and the vibration frequency can be adjusted to target different therapeutic mechanisms, ensuring effective treatment while maintaining simple operation through programmable settings.
3Reliability
If vibration generators are added to the device, then shear thinning and liquefaction of meibum is induced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes vibration generators that produce mechanical vibrations at specific frequencies (5-200 Hz) to induce shear thinning and liquefaction of meibum in the Meibomian glands. This mechanical vibration approach directly addresses the viscosity problem of meibum without requiring complex chemical or thermal processes, achieving reliable meibum liquefaction through controlled mechanical energy input.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration generators operate in periodic cycles, alternating between vibration phases and heating phases, or using pulsed vibration patterns. This periodic action allows the meibum to undergo repeated cycles of shear stress and relaxation, enhancing liquefaction effectiveness while preventing overheating and reducing the need for continuously high-power components, thereby managing device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively lowers meibum viscosity, mobilizes and expresses liquified meibum from Meibomian glands, enhancing the lipid layer of the tear film, thereby improving dry eye symptoms with increased patient convenience and compliance.
Implementation Method 1
a heating disc... configured to sequentially and alternately apply therapeutic warmth to meibum within each Meibomian gland duct
Implementation Method 2
a pair of stimulation vibration generators configured to simultaneously apply tuned harmonic resonance or non-resonance frequency stimulation vibration... to induce shear thinning and liquefaction of meibum
Implementation Method 3
tuned harmonic resonance or non-resonance frequency stimulation vibration... inducing shear thinning and liquefaction of meibum
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments provide a moldable warming device, including: a heating disc; a pair of stimulation vibration generators; a coupling device; and an ocular and periocular treatment platform, the ocular and periocular treatment platform being head mounted and forehead stabilized. The moldable warming device is configured to sequentially and alternately apply therapeutic warmth to meibum within each Meibomian gland duct in all four eyelids and, and further configured to simultaneously apply tuned harmonic resonance or non-resonance frequency stimulation vibration across the contour of the entire surface of the user's four eyelids and periorbital structures and across the contour surface of the user's nasal bridge area through the user's nasal bone, after the heating disc has lowered the lipid viscosity within each Meibomian gland duct, to induce expression of shear thinned and liquified meibum from each Meibomian gland duct in all four eyelids to improve the lipid layer of the surface of the user's eye tear film.