Rotatable Eyelid Treatment Tip for Dry Eye Light Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for treating dry eyes, such as those used for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, are rigid and lack adjustability, making it difficult to alter device orientations during treatment, and may expose the cornea to direct light or cause hair loss.
Innovation Solution
A device with a rotatable cover member and disposable tip that houses a fiber bundle, allowing for adjustable orientations and preventing direct light exposure, using an optical coupler connected to a light source like IPL or LED, with a rotatable cover member and disposable tip for ergonomic handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid device structure is used for treating dry eyes, then structural stability is improved, but device adaptability and ease of operation deteriorate due to inability to adjust orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate components: a rigid handle providing structural stability and a separate disposable tip providing adaptability. The tip can be detached and replaced to adjust orientations and configurations during treatment, while the handle remains stable and ergonomic.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates flexible elements within the rigid structure, allowing the disposable tip to be rotated and positioned at different orientations relative to the handle during treatment, enabling dynamic adjustment while maintaining overall structural integrity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid device structure is used for treating dry eyes, then structural stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in altering device orientations
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the device into a stable handle and a detachable tip, the operator can easily change tip orientations and configurations by simply detaching and reattaching tips, greatly improving ease of operation while the handle maintains structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible connection between handle and tip allows for easy rotation and repositioning of the tip during treatment, enabling the operator to adjust device orientations quickly without compromising the stability of the main handle structure.
3Reliability
If direct light exposure is used during treatment, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but harmful effects worsen due to corneal exposure and hair loss
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful direct light exposure is extracted and eliminated from the treatment path. The device design ensures light is delivered only to the intended target area through controlled optical pathways, preventing light from reaching the cornea or eyelashes where it would cause harm.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary optical system (including optical fibers or lenses in the disposable tip) is introduced to mediate between the light source and the treatment area. This intermediary controls and directs light precisely to the eyelid margins while blocking stray light that could reach the cornea or eyelashes.
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
Enables flexible and ergonomic treatment of dry eyes by allowing adjustable orientations and preventing corneal exposure, ensuring hygienic and effective treatment of eyelids.
Implementation Method 1
The proximal end is connectable to an optical coupler designed for optical coupling with a light source
Implementation Method 2
The use of a light source is for the purpose of generating heat, and causing photo modulation, so as to heat up the area of a Meibomian Gland
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses a device for treating eyelids or other body regions of a subject. The device includes a fiber bundle having a distal end and a proximal end. The proximal end is connectable to an optical coupler designed for optical coupling with a light source. The device further includes a rigid tube, housing at least a portion of the distal end of the fiber bundle and a cover member mounted around a portion of the rigid tube. The cover member is rotatable relative to the rigid tube during treatment of the eyelids of the subject. The rotation of the cover member relative to the rigid tube allows the device to be operated in different orientations as may be required during the treatment of eyelids.