Apparatus for treating meibomian gland dysfunction
An apparatus for treating meibomian gland dysfunction caused by meibomian gland obstruction in order to restore the natural flow of secretion from the meibomian gland comprises the application of a combination of energy, suction, vibration, heat, aspiration, chemical agents and pharmacological agents to loosen and thereafter remove the obstructive material.
1. An apparatus for treating dry eye wherein a flow of naturally occurring secretion to an eye is occluded due to the presence of an obstruction located within a meibomian gland channel of a meibomian gland of an eyelid, the apparatus comprising:
an energy source configured to apply energy to the eyelid for softening the obstruction located within the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland; and
a force applicator for applying a regulated force to the eyelid, wherein the force applicator expresses the softened obstruction from within the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland through an orifice of the meibomian gland; and
a back plate,
wherein the back plate and the force applicator are configured such that the eyelid may be positioned between the back plate and the force applicator; and
wherein the force applicator is configured to be actuated such that the eyelid is gripped between the force applicator and the back plate to apply the regulated force to the eyelid to express the softened obstruction from within the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland through a meibomian gland orifice of the meibomian gland.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the force applicator milkingly compresses the eyelid to express the softened obstruction from within the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland through a meibomian gland orifice of the meibomian gland.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the energy source is configured to apply thermal energy to the obstruction.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the thermal energy applied is selected from a group of heat generating modalities consisting of conduction, convection and radiation.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the energy source is configured to apply thermal energy to the obstruction sufficient to heat the obstruction to between about 37° C. and about 47° C.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the energy source is coupled to an eyelid surface and is configured to at least in part milkingly compress the eyelid to express the softened obstruction from within the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland through the meibomian gland orifice of the meibomian gland.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the force applicator comprises a roller.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the force applicator is partially or completely disposed in a hand held device.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one or more of the energy source and the force applicator are configured to be coupled to the eyelid.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a temperature measurement and feedback control loop configured to maintain an amount of energy applied by the energy source.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the force applicator is configured to apply an adjustable constant force and a pulsatile force as part of the regulated force.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including a vacuum for applying suction to assist in expressing the softened obstruction from the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland through the meibomian gland orifice of the meibomian gland.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the eyelid is a human eyelid.
14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the eyelid is an animal eyelid.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 , where an energy source applies RF energy to the eyelid to soften the obstruction located within the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 , where an energy source applies microwave energy to the eyelid to soften the obstruction located within the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 , where an energy source applies infrared energy to the eyelid to soften the obstruction located within the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 , where an energy source is a laser.
19. An apparatus for treating dry eye wherein a flow of naturally occurring secretion to an eye is occluded due to the presence of an obstruction located within a meibomian gland channel of a meibomian gland in an eyelid, the apparatus comprising:
an energy source configured to apply thermal energy to the eyelid for softening the obstruction located within the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland to heat the obstruction to a temperature sufficient to turn the obstruction from a solid to a flowable state; and
a force applicator for applying a regulated force to the eyelid, wherein the force applicator expresses the softened obstruction from within the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland through an orifice of the meibomian gland; and
a back plate, wherein the back plate and the force applicator are configured such that the eyelid may be positioned between the back plate and the force applicator, and
wherein the force applicator is configured to be actuated such that the eyelid is gripped between the force applicator and the back plate to apply the regulated force to the eyelid to express the softened obstruction from within the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland through the meibomian gland orifice of the meibomian gland.
20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the energy source is configured to heat the obstruction to a temperature of between about 42° C. and about 46° C.
21. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the force applicator milkingly compresses the eyelid to express the softened obstruction from the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland through a meibomian gland orifice of the meibomian gland.
22. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the thermal energy applied is selected from a group of heat generating modalities comprising conduction, convection and radiation.
23. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the force applicator is partially or completely disposed in a hand held device.
24. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein one or more of the energy source and the force applicator is coupled to the eyelid.
25. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the force applicator is configured to apply an adjustable constant force and a pulsatile force as part of the regulated force.
26. The apparatus according to claim 19 further including an applicator for applying a pharmacological agent to the meibomian gland.
27. The apparatus according to claim 19 further including a vacuum for applying suction to assist in the extraction of the softened obstruction from the meibomian gland channel of the meibomian gland through the meibomian gland orifice of the meibomian gland.
28. The apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising a temperature measurement and feedback control loop configured to maintain an amount of thermal energy applied by the energy source.
29. The apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the eyelid is a human eyelid.
30. The apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the eyelid is an animal eyelid.