Noninvasive measurement of chemical substances
First Claim
1. A contact device for placement adjacent to the conjunctiva of the eye, said contact device comprising:
- a housing for placement adjacent to the conjunctiva of the eye, a sensor contained in the housing for analyzing fluid from the conjunctiva for at least one of chemical, physical, cellular and molecular evaluation, and said housing being less than 5.0 mm in thickness.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Utilization of a contact device placed on the eye in order to detect physical and chemical parameters of the body as well as the non-invasive delivery of compounds according to these physical and chemical parameters, with signals being transmitted continuously as electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared and the like. One of the parameters to be detected includes non-invasive blood analysis utilizing chemical changes and chemical products that are found in the conjunctiva and in the tear film. A transensor mounted in the contact device laying on the cornea or the surface of the eye is capable of evaluating and measuring physical and chemical parameters in the eye including non-invasive blood analysis. The system utilizes eye lid motion and/or closure of the eye lid to activate a microminiature radio frequency sensitive transensor mounted in the contact device. The signal can be communicated by wires or radio telemetered to an externally placed receiver. The signal can then be processed, analyzed and stored. Several parameters can be detected including a complete non-invasive analysis of blood components, measurement of systemic and ocular blood flow, measurement of heart rate and respiratory rate, tracking operations, detection of ovulation, detection of radiation and drug effects, diagnosis of ocular and systemic disorders and the like.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A contact device for placement adjacent to the conjunctiva of the eye, said contact device comprising:
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a housing for placement adjacent to the conjunctiva of the eye, a sensor contained in the housing for analyzing fluid from the conjunctiva for at least one of chemical, physical, cellular and molecular evaluation, and said housing being less than 5.0 mm in thickness.
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2. An apparatus for noninvasive measurement of the concentration of at least one substance in the eye, said application comprising:
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a source of electromagnetic radiation for irradiating the eye, and a detecting device for detecting an intensity of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the substance being measured and providing an output signal representative of the detected intensity of said radiation. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for noninvasive measurement of at least one substance in the eye, said method comprising the steps of:
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irradiating the eye with electromagnetic radiation, and detecting an intensity of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the substance being measured and providing an output signal representative of the intensity of said radiation. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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22. An apparatus for noninvasive measurement of a concentration of at least one substance in the eye, said application comprising:
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a detecting device for receiving infrared energy from the eye and for measuring infrared absorption of at least one substance present in said eye based upon the infrared energy generated by the eye, and a processing device for determining the concentration of the at least one substance based upon the infrared absorption. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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29. An apparatus for noninvasive measurement of a concentration of at least one substance in the eye, said application comprising:
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a detecting device for detecting radiation intensity of two wavelengths of light in an infrared region emitted by said eye with said detecting device detecting radiation intensity of the two wavelengths with one of said wavelengths having a high absorption correlation with the substance being measured and the other of said wavelengths having a lower absorption correlation with the substance being measured and providing an output signal, and a processing device for processing the output signal obtained from the detecting device for determining the concentration of the at least one substance according to the absorption of infrared energy by said substance.
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30. A method for noninvasive measuring at least one substance in the eye, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving and detecting infrared energy from said eye, determining infrared absorption of at least one substance present in said eye from said infrared energy from said eye, and processing and determining the concentration of said at least one substance from the infrared absorption.
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31. A method for noninvasive measurement of at least one substance in the eye, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting two wavelengths in the infrared region emitted by said eye with one of said wavelengths having a high absorption correlation with the substance being measured and the other of said wavelengths having a lower absorption correlation with the substance being measured, and processing the detected wavelengths for determining a concentration of at least one substance according to the absorption of infrared energy by said substance.
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32. An apparatus for noninvasive measurement of at least one substance in the eye, said apparatus comprising:
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a receiving device for receiving infrared energy from said eye, a detecting device for determining infrared absorption of at least one substance present in said eye from the infrared energy generated by said eye, a sensor for measuring temperature of said eye, a processing device for determining temperature of the eye and the concentration of at least one substance based upon the infrared absorption and the measured temperature.
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33. A method for noninvasive measurement of at least one substance in the eye, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving infrared energy from said eye, determining an amount of infrared absorption of at least one substance present in said eye from the infrared energy generated by said eye, measuring temperature of said eye, and determining the amount of the concentration of at least one substance based upon the infrared absorption and temperature of the eye.
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34. An apparatus for measuring temperature, said apparatus comprising:
a contact device to engage a surface of the eye, said contact device including a device for detecting temperature on the surface of said eye and for transmitting a detection signal representative of the temperature exteriorly of the contact device. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. Method for measuring temperature on the eye, said method comprising the steps of:
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placing a contact device on a surface of the eye, detecting a temperature on the surface of said eye, and transmitting a detection signal representative of the detected temperature and a temperature level according to the detection signal acquired at the transmitting step.
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39. An apparatus for noninvasive measurement of the concentration of at least one photosensitizing drug in the eye, said application comprising:
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a source of electromagnetic radiation for irradiating the eye, a detecting device for detecting an intensity of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the eye after electromagnetic radiation from the source interacts with the photosensitizing drug being measured and providing an output signal representative of the intensity of said radiation, and a processing device for calculating the concentration of said photosensitizing drug from said detected electromagnetic radiation intensity. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for treating abnormal conditions of a body organ, said method comprising the steps of:
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placing a contact device in apposition to tissue of the body organ, using said contact device for delivering radiation to said tissue, and permitting sufficient time to elapse to allow delivery of radiation to said tissue so as to treat said abnormal condition. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. An apparatus for treating abnormal conditions of the eye comprising:
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a contact device for contacting tissue of said eye, and a radiation source for delivering radiation to said tissue of said eye so as to treat said abnormal condition. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A dispenser for applying medication to an eye, said dispenser comprising:
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a contact device for engaging the surface of the eye, at least one bulb containing medication to be dispensed, said bulb being compressable by external pressure causing expulsion of medication to a surface of the eye. - View Dependent Claims (57)
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58. A dispenser for applying medication to an eye, said dispenser comprising:
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a contact device for engaging the surface of the eye, said device containing a canal connected to a shaft, said shaft being connected to a squeezable bulb, said squeezable bulb containing medication with said medication being expelled to a surface of the eye upon squeezing said bulb.
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Specification