Ophthalmic speculum with an air-flow system

1 . An ophthalmic speculum comprising:

a plurality of arms comprising a first arm and a second arm, each arm having a retractor shaped to conform to an eyelid of a pair of eyelids of an eye;

a locking mechanism coupled to the arms and configured to:

move the arms to allow the retractors to retract the pair of eyelids; and

fix the arms into place to maintain retraction of the pair of eyelids; and

an air-flow system coupled to at least one a of the plurality of arms, the air-flow system configured to move air in a region disposed outwardly from a surface of the eye in a laminar flow across a surface of the eye, wherein the laminar flow is generally in a direction from a first eyelid to a second eyelid of the pair of eyelids.

2 . The ophthalmic speculum of claim 1 , wherein a height of the laminar flow relative to the surface of the eye is adjustable.

3 . The ophthalmic speculum of claim 2 , further comprising spacers between the at least one arm and the air-flow system to raise the height of the laminar flow relative to the surface of the eye.

4 . The ophthalmic speculum of claim 1 , the air-flow system comprising:

an aspirator configured to move the air away from the surface of the eye.

5 . The ophthalmic speculum of claim 4 , the aspirator coupled to the second arm proximate the second eyelid.

6 . The ophthalmic speculum of claim 1 , the air-flow system comprising:

an air blower configured to move the air across the surface of the eye.

7 . The ophthalmic speculum of claim 6 , the air blower coupled to the first arm proximate the first eyelid.

8 . The ophthalmic speculum of claim 1 , the air-flow system comprising:

an aspirator configured to move the air away from the surface of the eye; and

an air blower configured to move the air across the surface of the eye.

9 . The ophthalmic speculum of claim 8 , the air blower coupled to the first arm proximate the first eyelid and the aspirator coupled to the second arm proximate the second eyelid.

10 . The ophthalmic speculum of claim 1 , wherein the air-flow system is further configured to move the air as a rotational flow away from the surface of the eye, and is switchable between the laminar flow and the rotational flow.

11 . The ophthalmic speculum of claim 1 , wherein the air-flow system is further configured to create a low-pressure area that moves the air towards the surface of the eye and then away from the surface of the eye, the air-flow system switchable between the laminar flow and the low-pressure area creation.

12 . A method for moving air away from a surface of an eye, comprising:

moving a plurality of arms to allow a plurality of retractors to retract a pair of eyelids, the plurality of arms comprising a first arm and a second arm, each arm having a retractor of the plurality of retractors, the retractor shaped to conform to an eyelid of the pair of eyelids of the eye;

fixing, by a locking mechanism, the arms into place to maintain retraction of the pair of eyelids; and

moving, by an air-flow system coupled to at least one arm, air in a region disposed outwardly from the surface of the eye, the air moved in a laminar flow that moves the air across the surface of the eye, wherein the laminar flow is generally in a direction from a first eyelid to a second eyelid of the pair of eyelids.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

controlling, by a computer, the air-flow system to move the air.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the computer is configured to change the airflow system from the laminar flow of air into a rotational air flow that moves the air outwardly away from the surface of the eye.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the computer is configured to change the airflow system from the laminar flow of air into a low-pressure creation air flow that moves the air away from the surface of the eye.

16 . An ophthalmic speculum comprising:

a plurality of arms comprising a first arm and a second arm, each arm having a retractor shaped to conform to an eyelid of a pair of eyelids of an eye;

a locking mechanism coupled to the arms and configured to:

move the arms to allow the retractors to retract the pair of eyelids; and

fix the arms into place to maintain retraction of the pair of eyelids;

an air-flow system coupled to at least one arm of the plurality of arms, the air-flow system configured to move air in a region disposed outwardly from a surface of the eye, the air-flow system comprising:

one or more aspirators, each aspirator configured to move the air away from the surface of the eye; and

one or more air blowers, each air blower configured to move the air across the surface of the eye; and

a computer configured to:

determine an air-flow pattern; and

control the air-flow system to create the determined air-flow pattern, the airflow patterns comprising at least one of:

a laminar flow across the surface of the eye;

a low-pressure area that moves the air towards the surface of the eye and then away from the surface of the eye; and

a rotational flow of air that moves the air away from the surface of the eye.

17 . The ophthalmic speculum of claim 16 , the one or more aspirators comprising:

a first aspirator configured to move the air away from the surface of the eye towards a first retractor of the retractors; and

a second aspirator configured to move the air away from the surface of the eye towards a second retractor of the retractors.

18 . The ophthalmic speculum of claim 16 , the one or more air blowers comprising:

a first air blower configured to move the air across the surface of the eye away from a first retractor of the retractors; and

a second air blower configured to move the air across the surface of the eye away from a second retractor of the retractors.