ELECTRICAL STIMULATION OF THE EYE
Apparatus and methods are described for treating an eye of a subject. One or more electrodes are placed at least partially inside the subject's eye. A control unit treats the eye by driving the electrodes to apply an electrical signal to the eye that induces production of nitric oxide (NO). Other embodiments are also described.
1 . Apparatus for treating an eye of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
one or more electrodes, configured to be placed at least partially inside the subject's eye; and
a control unit, configured to treat the eye by driving the electrodes to apply an electrical signal to the eye that induces production of nitric oxide (NO).
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to drive the electrodes to apply the signal to induce the NO production sufficiently to induce dilation of a retinal artery of the subject.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to drive the electrodes to apply the signal to induce the NO production sufficiently to minimize degeneration of an optic nerve of the subject.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the electrodes comprises a coil that is configured to receive energy inductively from the control unit.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to be placed at least partially in the eye, wherein the apparatus comprises a charging coil that is configured to power the control unit.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the charging coil is configured to be coupled to glasses of the subject.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a photovoltaic cell, wherein the charging coil is configured to power the control unit by extracting power from the photovoltaic cell.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a receiving coil configured to be placed inside the subject's eye and to receive power from the charging coil.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the receiving coil is configured to be placed inside a Schlemm's canal of the subject's eye.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the charging coil is configured to clean a trabecular meshwork of the subject's eye by vibrating the receiving coil, by generating a magnetic field.
11 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the receiving coil is configured to mechanically dilate the Schlemm's canal.
12 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the receiving coil is configured to loop around substantially all of the Schlemm's canal.
13 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the receiving coil forms a closed loop that is configured to loop around a portion of the Schlemm's canal.
14 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the receiving coil comprises a plurality of receiving loops configured to be oriented such that a plane defined by each of the receiving loops is substantially perpendicular to a local longitudinal axis of the Schlemm's canal.
15 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the electrodes is configured to be placed at a site posterior to a retina of the eye.
16 . The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the control unit is configured to drive the electrodes to apply the signal to induce the NO production sufficiently to reduce an intraocular pressure of the eye.
17 . The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the electrodes are configured to be placed around a cornea of the eye, and wherein the control unit is configured to drive the electrodes to apply the signal to induce the NO production in a vicinity of a trabecular meshwork of the eye.
18 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the electrodes are configured to be placed in a Schlemm's canal of the subject's eye.
19 . The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the electrodes are configured to mechanically dilate the Schlemm's canal.
20 . A method for treating a subject, comprising:
identifying that the subject suffers from a condition of an eye; and
treating the eye condition by inducing production of nitric oxide (NO) in the eye by applying an electrical signal to the eye.
21 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein applying the signal comprises configuring the signal to induce the NO production sufficiently to induce dilation of a retinal artery of the subject.
22 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein applying the signal comprises configuring the signal to induce the NO production sufficiently to minimize degeneration of an optic nerve of the subject.
23 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein applying the electrical signal comprises placing a photovoltaic cell in the eye, and powering the application of the signal using power generated by the cell.
24 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein applying the signal comprises receiving energy inductively within the eye, and applying the signal using the received energy.
25 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein applying the signal comprises applying the signal at a site posterior to a retina of the eye.
26 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein applying the signal to the eye comprises placing electrodes inside the eye and powering the electrodes from outside the eye.
27 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein powering the electrodes comprises powering the electrodes via a charging coil that is coupled to glasses of the subject.
28 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein powering the electrodes comprises extracting power from a photovoltaic cell that is electrically coupled to the charging coil.
29 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein powering the electrodes comprises receiving power from the charging coil using a receiving coil that is placed inside the subject's eye.
30 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein receiving the power comprises receiving the power using a receiving coil that is placed inside a Schlemm's canal of the subject's eye.
31 . The apparatus according to claim 30 , the method further comprising cleaning a trabecular meshwork of the subject's eye by vibrating the receiving coil, by generating a magnetic field.
32 . The method according to claim 30 , further comprising mechanically dilating the Schlemm's canal using the receiving coil.
33 . The method according to claim 30 , wherein receiving the power comprises receiving the power using a receiving coil that loops around substantially all of the Schlemm's canal.
34 . The method according to claim 30 , wherein receiving the power comprises receiving the power using a receiving coil that forms a closed loop that loops around a portion of the Schlemm's canal.
35 . The method according to claim 30 , wherein receiving the power comprises receiving the power using a plurality of receiving loops that are oriented such that a plane defined by each of the receiving loops is substantially perpendicular to a local longitudinal axis of the Schlemm's canal.
36 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the identifying comprises identifying that the subject suffers from glaucoma, and wherein applying the signal comprises configuring the signal to induce the NO production sufficiently to reduce an intraocular pressure of the eye.
37 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein applying the signal comprises applying the signal around a cornea of the eye to induce the NO production in a vicinity of a trabecular meshwork of the eye.
38 . The method according to claim 37 , wherein applying the signal comprises applying the signal to a Schlemm's canal of the subject's eye.
39 . The method according to claim 38 , further comprising mechanically dilating the Schlemm's canal.