Apparatus and method for microcurrent-stimulation therapy
A system and method for applying stimulation therapy to a patient, the system including a first stimulation strip that includes a first elongated portion configured to be placed on the upper eyelid of the first eye of the patient and a second elongated portion configured to be placed on the lower eyelid of the first eye of the patient, wherein the first stimulation strip includes: a first plurality of individually controlled electrodes configured to deliver a microcurrent stimulation therapy to the patient, a first plurality of individually controlled light emitters configured to deliver light stimulation therapy to the patient, and a first plurality of individually controlled heat sources configured to deliver heat therapy to the patient; and a controller operatively coupled to the first stimulation strip and configured to control delivery of the microcurrent stimulation therapy, the light stimulation therapy, and the heat therapy.
1. A system for application of a stimulation therapy to a patient, the system comprising:
a first set of one or more light emitters, wherein each of the one or more light emitters are configured to deliver light-stimulation therapy to a first eye of the patient;
a first substrate comprising one or more electrodes, wherein each of the one or more electrodes are configured to deliver microcurrent stimulation therapy to the first eye of the patient; and
a controller configured to control delivery of the microcurrent stimulation therapy via the one or more electrodes of the first substrate and the light-stimulation therapy via the one or more light emitters of the first set to the first eye of the patient.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more electrodes are individually controllable by the controller.
3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a unique identifier on the substrate, and wherein the controller is configured to control a specific therapy regimen specified for the patient based on the unique identifier.
4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second set of one or more light emitters, wherein each of the one or more light emitters are configured to deliver light-stimulation therapy to a second eye of the patient; and
a second substrate comprising second one or more electrodes, wherein each of the second one or more electrodes are configured to deliver microcurrent stimulation therapy to the second eye of the patient, and
wherein the controller is further configured to control delivery of the microcurrent stimulation therapy via the second one or more electrodes of the second substrate and the light stimulation therapy via the one or more light emitters of the second set to the second eye of the patient.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to cause delivery of the light-stimulation therapy and the microcurrent stimulation therapy to both the first eye and the second eye during the first time period.
6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to cause delivery of the microcurrent stimulation therapy and the light-stimulation therapy in a sequential manner such that each stimulation therapy begins at a different start time to the first eye of the patient during a first time period and at a different start time to the second eye of the patient during a second time period after the first time period.
7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to cause delivery of both the microcurrent stimulation therapy and the light-stimulation therapy alternately to the first eye of the patient and then to the second eye of the patient.
8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to cause delivery of the microcurrent stimulation therapy alternately to the first eye of the patient and then to the second eye of the patient, and configured to cause delivery of the light-stimulation therapy alternately to the second eye and then to the first eye.
9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to deliver the microcurrent stimulation therapy and the light-stimulation therapy simultaneously to both the first eye and the second eye of the patient during a first time period.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more electrodes includes a respective gelled contact point on the substrate.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first set of one or more light emitters is included in a head-mounted display device configured to be mounted on the patient's head, wherein the display device includes an internal stimulation display configured to be visible to the patient when the display device is mounted on the patient, and wherein the controller is configured to control delivery of the light-stimulation therapy from the display device.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the light-stimulation therapy comprises red wavelengths in a range of 600 nm to 700 nm.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the display device to cause formation of one or more points of light that move across a visual field of the patient to urge the patient to move their eyes to follow the movement of the one or more points of light to orient eyes of the patient in different positions during the light-stimulation therapy.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first set of one or more light emitters is included on the first substrate.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light-stimulation therapy is delivered to both eyes of the patient simultaneously.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the microcurrent stimulation therapy is delivered to both eyes of the patient simultaneously.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to deliver a combination of microcurrent stimulation therapy and light-stimulation therapy, wherein the microcurrent stimulation therapy is delivered to the patient in a sequential manner with the light-stimulation therapy such that each therapy begins at a different start time.
18. An apparatus for applying stimulation therapy to a patient, the apparatus comprising:
a first set of one or more individually controlled light emitters;
a first substrate, wherein the first substrate comprises a first plurality of individually controlled electrodes;
means for delivering a first microcurrent stimulation therapy to the first eye of the patient via the first plurality of individually controlled electrodes; and
means for delivering a first light-stimulation therapy to the first eye of the patient via the first set of one or more individually controlled light emitters.
19. A method for applying stimulation therapy to a patient, the method comprising:
providing a first set of light emitters;
providing a first substrate comprising one or more electrodes;
delivering a first microcurrent stimulation therapy to a first eye of the patient via the one or more electrodes; and
delivering a first light-stimulation therapy to the first eye of the patient via the first set of one or more light emitters.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein each respective electrode of the one or more electrodes contacts the patient at a respective contact pressure, the method further comprising:
selectively maintaining the respective contact pressure of each respective electrode at a value in a range of about two (2) ounces per square inch to about fifteen (15) pounds per square inch.
21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising delivering the first microcurrent stimulation therapy and the first light-stimulation therapy simultaneously.
22. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
providing a stimulator configured to generate the microcurrent stimulation therapy delivered by the one or more electrodes;
operatively coupling the stimulator to the one or more electrodes; and
placing the stimulator on the patient.
23. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
providing a stimulator configured to generate the microcurrent stimulation therapy delivered by the one or more electrodes;
operatively coupling the stimulator to the one or more electrodes; and
placing the stimulator in a location separate from the patient.
24. The method of claim 19 , further comprising generating an indicative sound to indicate a characteristic of the first microcurrent stimulation therapy.
25. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
providing a second set of one or more light emitters;
providing a second substrate comprising a second one or more electrodes;
delivering a second microcurrent stimulation therapy to a second eye of the patient via the second one or more electrodes; and
delivering a second light-stimulation therapy to the second eye of the patient via the second set of one or more light emitters.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the delivering of the first microcurrent stimulation therapy to the first eye occurs simultaneously with the delivering of the second microcurrent stimulation therapy to the second eye.
27. The method of claim 25 , further comprising:
receiving a unique identifier from the first substrate; and
using the unique identifier by the controller to control a specific therapy regimen specified for the patient.
28. The method of claim 25 , further comprising:
providing a head-mounted display device configured to be placed on the patient's head, wherein the display device includes an internal stimulation display configured to be seen by the patient when the display device is on the patient; and
delivering a light-stimulation output from the display device onto the patient's retina.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the light-stimulation output includes red wavelengths in a range of 600 nm to 700 nm.
30. The method of claim 28 , wherein delivering of the light-stimulation output includes moving one or more points of light across the patient's visual field to urge the patient to move their eyes to follow the movement of the one or more points of light to orient the eyes in different positions during the therapy.