Eye medication delivery system

• US 20020124843A1
• Filed: 01/30/2002
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Silverleaf Medical Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Silverleaf Medical Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Dodd, Steven T., Skiba, Jeffry B.
• Application Number:
  US10/060,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20020124843A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.18
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/02 operated by air or other gas pressure applied to the liquid or other product to be sprayed or atomised sprayers for horticulture A01G, A01H; killing insects A01M; air humidifying by nozzles F24F6/14, F24F6/18; cooling by spraying F28B, F28C
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/07 having air pumping means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes

Abstract

An apparatus for delivering medicine to one or more eyes is provided. The apparatus includes a mask worn around the eyes. The mask has a substantially transparent mask face and one or more fog outlets proximate to the eyes. An atomizer nebulizes medicine into a medicine-carrying fog such that the fog discharges from the fog outlets to deliver medicine carried by the fog to one or more eyes. The momentum of the liquid fog droplets is low so that the eyes do not adversely react to the droplet impact, yet the droplet density is sufficient to deliver an effective amount of medication. Additionally, the apparatus may include a power supply, a propellant source and one or more conduits. Methods of delivering medication to the eyes are also provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus for delivering medicine to one or more tissues, the apparatus comprising:

a mask adapted to be worn around one or more tissues, the mask further comprising one or more fog outlets proximate to one or more tissues; and

one or more atomizers to atomize medicine into a medicine-carrying fog, wherein one or more atomizers are in fluid communication with one or more fog outlets such that the fog discharges from one or more fog outlets to deliver medicine carried by the fog to one or more tissues.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more atomizers comprise an ultrasonic atomizer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more atomizers comprise a nozzle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more atomizers comprise a nebulizer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more atomizers comprise a stirrer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more atomizers further comprise one or more medication chambers.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more conduits in fluid communication with one or more atomizers and one or more fog outlets.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fog comprises liquid droplets in the size range of approximately 3 to 5 microns in diameter.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more propellant sources in fluid communication with one or more atomizers to propel the fog to one or more fog outlets.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein one or more propellant sources comprise a compressed gas canister and the gas compressed in one or more of the canisters is selected from the group consisting of air, nitrogen or carbon dioxide.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein one or more propellant sources comprise a pump.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more power supplies connected to one or more atomizers.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein one or more power supplies comprise one or more batteries.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein one or more power supplies comprise one or more electric wall outlets.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein one or more conduits comprise one or more flexible conduits.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the power supply comprises a battery.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the fog comprises liquid droplets in the size range of approximately 3 to 5 microns in diameter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein one or more of the tissues comprises one or more eyes, the method further comprising:

containing the medication fog near one or more eyes and

viewing an image with one or more eyes during medication administration.

15. An apparatus for delivering medicine to one or more eyes, the apparatus comprising:

a mask adapted to be worn around one or more eyes, the mask further comprising a substantially transparent mask face and one or more fog outlets proximate to one or more eyes;

one or more atomizers to atomize medicine into a medicine-carrying fog, one or more atomizers further comprising one or more medication chambers to contain one or more medicines;

a power supply to supply power to the atomizer;

a propellant source in fluid communication with the atomizer and one or more fog outlets; and

one or more conduits in fluid communication with the atomizer and with one or more fog outlets such that the fog may pass from the atomizer through one or more conduits to the mask and be discharged from one or more fog outlets to deliver medicine carried by the fog to at least one eye.

19. A method for administering one or more medications to one or more tissues, the method comprising:

nebulizing one or more medications to form a medication fog; and

contacting the medication fog with one or more tissues at low fog pressure and high fog volume.