Methods of alleviating symptoms of ocular surface discomfort using medical ice slurry

1. A method of alleviating symptoms of ocular surface discomfort, the method comprising:

topically applying a cold slurry adjacent to a corneal limbus of an eye of a patient,

wherein the cold slurry comprises water and a freezing point depressant,

wherein the topical application of the cold slurry is configured to cause a degree of numbing of a cornea of the eye for a period of time, said period of time being more than about two days, and

wherein an ocular sensation of the eye is restored following the period of time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cold slurry is applied posterior to the corneal limbus.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the period of time is more than about 7 days without topically applying the cold slurry an additional time on any day following the first day of topical application.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the freezing point depressant is glycerol.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ocular sensation of the eye is restored after about 21 days following the topical application of the cold slurry.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a sclera of the eye of the patient is cooled to a temperature of between about −6° C. and about 4° C. during the topical application of the cold slurry.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cold slurry is topically applied for between about 5 minutes and about 15 minutes.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein an additional amount of the cold slurry is topically re-applied at about every 90 seconds.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing a contact lens on the eye of the patient prior to topically applying the cold slurry.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cold slurry is configured to be a paste consistency.

11. A method of alleviating symptoms of ocular surface discomfort, the method comprising:

placing a protective covering over a cornea of an eye of a patient; and

topically applying a cold slurry to a bulbar conjunctiva of the eye of the patient,

wherein the topical application of the cold slurry causes a prolonged reduction of pain of the eye of the patient, said prolongation being a period of time of more than about two days, and

wherein a partial sensation of the cornea of the eye of the patient is maintained during the prolonged reduction of pain.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cold slurry is applied posterior to the corneal limbus.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cold slurry is applied over the protective covering.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the prolonged reduction of pain lasts more than about 7 days without topically applying the cold slurry an additional time on any day following the first day of topical application.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the prolonged reduction of pain lasts more than about 14 days without topically applying the cold slurry an additional time on any day following the first day of topical application.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the symptoms are due to dry eye syndrome or corneal somatosensory dysfunction.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein a sclera of the eye of the patient is cooled to a temperature of between about −6° C. and about 4° C. during the topical application of the cold slurry.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the protective covering is a contact lens, and wherein the contact lens prevents the cornea of the eye from freezing.

19. A method of alleviating symptoms of ocular surface discomfort, the method comprising:

administering a cold slurry to an eye of a patient,

wherein the cold slurry comprises water and a percentage of ice particles,

wherein the administration of the cold slurry causes a prolonged hypesthesia of the eye, said prolongation being a period of time of more than about two days,

wherein an ocular sensation of the eye is restored following the prolonged hypesthesia, and

wherein the administration of the cold slurry does not cause permanent damage to a cornea of the eye.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising treating a condition selected from the group consisting of dry eye syndrome, chronic eye pain, post-operative pain, post-photorefractive keratectomy pain, post-LASIK pain, post-cataract surgery pain, and post open globe injury repair pain, post-corneal injury, corneal somatosensory dysfunction, allodynia, and pain from acute injury.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the cold slurry is administered via injection.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the cold slurry is injected into a subconjunctival space.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the cold slurry is administered via topical application.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the percentage of ice particles is between about 20% and 40%.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the temperature of the cold slurry is between about −20° C. and about −5° C.

26. A method of alleviating symptoms of ocular surface discomfort, the method comprising:

topically applying a cold slurry on or proximal to an ocular surface of an eye of a patient,

wherein the topical application of the cold slurry causes a prolonged hypesthesia of a cornea of the eye, said prolongation being a period of time of more than about two days,

wherein an ocular sensation of the eye is restored following the prolonged hypesthesia, and

wherein the topical application of the cold slurry does not cause permanent damage to the cornea of the eye.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the cold slurry is applied proximal to the corneal limbus.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the ocular sensation of the eye is restored by about 30 days following the topical application of the cold slurry.

29. The method of claim 26 , wherein the cold slurry is topically applied for between about 5 minutes and about 15 minutes.

30. The method of claim 26 , further comprising placing a contact lens on the eye of the patient prior to topically applying the cold slurry, and wherein the contact lens prevents the cornea of the eye from freezing.