RIGHT/LEFT EYE DETECTION WITH PROXIMITY SENSOR FOR HORIZONTAL NON-GRAVITATIONAL OPHTHALMIC APPLICATOR

1 . An ophthalmic applicator for treating an eye of a user, comprising:

a housing;

a reservoir, supported by the housing, for containing a liquid for treating the eye;

a nozzle supported by the housing and operatively connected to the reservoir and being configured to direct a non-gravitationally directed dose of the liquid; and

a proximity sensor configured to identify the eye, left or right, to which the applicator is applying the liquid to the eye of the user.

2 . The applicator recited in claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor is configured to sense the presence of the user's nose positioned laterally of the housing when the applicator is positioned to treat the eye.

3 . The applicator recited in claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor is configured to associate the applicator being used to treat left eye in response to detecting the user's nose, and to associate the applicator being used to treat the right eye in response to not detecting the user's nose.

4 . The applicator recited in claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor is configured to associate the applicator being used to treat right eye in response to detecting the user's nose, and to associate the applicator being used to treat the left eye in response to not detecting the user's nose.

5 . The applicator recited in claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor is configured to sense the presence of facial structure laterally of the housing in a direction generally perpendicular to a nozzle axis of the nozzle.

6 . The applicator recited in claim 1 where the proximity sensor comprises a miniature surface mounted infrared optical proximity sensor with a built in LED and photodetector.

7 . The applicator recited in claim 1 , wherein two different proximity sensors pointing in opposite lateral directions are used for sensing the presence or absence of a user's nose from either side, wherein the applicator can thereby determine which eye is being treated and whether the applicator is held sufficiently close to the user's face to warrant dosage of the liquid to the eye.

8 . The applicator recited in claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor comprises a central photodetector, a left-side LED on one side of the photodetector, and a right-side LED on an opposite side of the photodetector, wherein the LEDS are configured to produce rays directed away from each other at outward angles with respect to a nozzle axis of the applicator, wherein proximity sensor is configured to determine which eye is being treated in response to which of the left-side and right-side LEDs generates the higher magnitude detected signal at the photodetector.

9 . The applicator recited in claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to control the proximity sensor and the application of treatment in response to which eye, left or right, is detected.

10 . The applicator recited in claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to compile a treatment log for the treatments applied to the user's eyes and can thus determine if one or both eyes were properly treated.

11 . The applicator recited in claim 9 , further comprising a displacement valve and an actuator configured to actuate the displacement valve, wherein the displacement valve is configured to, when actuated, force the liquid through the nozzle, and wherein the controller is configured to control actuation of the actuator in response to a user input.

12 . The applicator recited in claim 1 , wherein the reservoir comprises a removable reservoir cartridge.