Dry eye treatment systems
Dry eye treatment apparatus and methods are described herein which generally comprise a patch or strip affixed to the skin of the upper and/or lower eyelids to deliver heat or other forms of energy, pressure, drugs, moisture, etc. (alone or in combination) to the one or more meibomian glands contained within the underlying skin. The treatment strip or strips include one or more strips configured to adhere to an underlying region of skin in proximity to one or both eyes of a subject such that the one or more strips allow for the subject to blink naturally without restriction from the one or more patches. Moreover, the one or more strips may be configured to emit energy to the underlying region of skin and where the one or more strips are shaped to follow a location of one or more meibomian glands contained within the underlying region of skin.
1. A treatment system comprising:
a controller;
a connecting cable; and
a strip attachable to a first eyelid and to a second eyelid, wherein the strip has an open first end and a closed second end, wherein the open first end is opposite the closed second end, and wherein energy is emittable to the first eyelid and/or to the second eyelid via the strip,
wherein the open first end comprises a first portion and a second portion separated by a gap, wherein the gap is configured to be larger when a person has their eyes open than when the person has their eyes closed,
wherein when the treatment system is in an assembled configuration, the connecting cable extends from the closed second end and connects the strip to the controller,
wherein a treatment therapy is controllable via the controller, and
wherein the strip has a thickness of up to 3.175 mm such that the first eyelid and/or the second eyelid are allowed to blink naturally without restriction from the strip.
2. The treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the open first end is configured for placement on the first and second eyelids, and wherein the closed second end is configured for placement between the first and second eyelids.
3. The treatment system of claim 2 , wherein the open first end is configured for placement between a lateral canthus and a nose.
4. The treatment system of claim 3 , wherein the open first end is configured for placement between the lateral canthus and a medial canthus.
5. The treatment system of claim 3 , wherein the closed second end is configured for placement between the lateral canthus and an ear.
6. The treatment system of claim 2 , wherein the closed second end is configured for placement between a lateral canthus and an ear.
7. The treatment system of claim 6 , wherein the open first end is configured for placement between the lateral canthus and a nose.
8. The treatment system of claim 7 , wherein the open first end is configured for placement between the lateral canthus and a medial canthus.
9. The treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion is configured for placement on the first eyelid, the second portion is configured for placement on the second eyelid, and the gap is configured for placement between the first and second eyelids.
10. The treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion has a different shape than the second portion.
11. The treatment system of claim 1 , wherein energy is controllably emittable from the strip to the first eyelid and/or to the second eyelid via the controller.
12. The treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion has a curved or arcuate periphery which is shaped to extend and follow a free margin of the first eyelid, and wherein the second portion has a curved or arcuate periphery which is shaped to extend and follow a free margin of the second eyelid.
13. The treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the strip comprises a compressive mechanism configured to apply a biasing force to one or more meibomian glands, and wherein the compressive mechanism is configured for application to the one or more meibomian glands during emission of the energy to the first eyelid and/or to the second eyelid.
14. The treatment system of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic device configured to allow a user to test for dry eye and/or to determine how treatment is progressing before, during, or after the treatment therapy.
15. A treatment system comprising:
a cable;
a strip attachable to a first eyelid and to a second eyelid, wherein the strip has a first arm, a second arm, and a third arm, wherein the first arm and the second arm are opposite the third arm, wherein the cable extends from the third arm to a controller, and wherein energy is emittable to the first eyelid and/or to the second eyelid via the strip,
wherein the strip has flexibility sufficient to accommodate movement of the first eyelid to allow for a subject to blink naturally without restriction from the strip while covering one or more meibomian glands contained within the first eyelid with the strip, and
wherein energy is emittable to the first eyelid via the first arm and/or to the second eyelid via the second arm.
16. The treatment system of claim 15 , wherein the first arm, the second arm, and the third arm extend from a junction.
17. The treatment system of claim 16 , wherein the junction is configured for placement between a lateral canthus and an ear, or wherein the first arm and the second arm are configured to be placed closer to a nose than the third arm.
18. The treatment system of claim 15 , wherein the first arm and/or the second arm have a thickness of up to 3.175 mm such that the first eyelid and/or the second eyelid are allowed to blink naturally without restriction from the strip.
19. A treatment system comprising:
a strip attachable to a first eyelid and/or to a second eyelid, wherein the strip comprises a first arm, a second arm, and a third arm, wherein the first arm and the second arm are opposite the third arm, wherein the first arm and the second arm are separated by a gap, wherein when the strip is worn by a person, the gap is larger when the person has their eyes open than when the person has their eyes closed, wherein energy is emittable to the first eyelid and/or to the second eyelid via the strip,
wherein the first arm, the second arm, and the third arm extend from a junction,
wherein the first arm and/or the second arm have a thickness of up to 3.175 mm such that the first eyelid and/or the second eyelid are allowed to blink naturally without restriction from the strip, and
wherein the third arm comprises a cable.
20. The treatment system of claim 19 , wherein the cable extends from the third arm to a controller.