Apparatus, system and method for treating dry eye conditions and promoting healthy eyes

• US 20060157064A1
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eyeeco Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Roy Paulson, Suzanne Davison
• Inventors: Paulson, Roy, Davison, Suzanne
• Granted Patent: US 7,231,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/858
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/029 Additional functions or features, e.g. protection for other parts of the face such as ears, nose or mouth; Screen wipers or cleaning devices

Abstract

An eyewear apparatus for treating dry eye conditions featuring a pair of curved eyecups having interior cavities for providing treatment to the eyes when worn. Each interior cavity has a sidewall surface adapted to removably engage with the perimeter edge of a moisture pad which may be mounted therein to provide moisture, aroma, or medicinal treatment to the eye. An ocular cavity formed in the moisture pads provides a separate treatment chamber to each of the two eyes of a user. Heat or cold may also be provided to the ocular chamber through temperature components which mount to the moisture pad or in a gap between the moisture pad and the front of the interior cavity.

Claims

1. An eyewear apparatus for treating dry eye conditions comprising:

a pair of eyecups, each said eyecup having a soft, pliable, curved lens projecting from a circumferential edge, said circumferential edge having a rear surface;

each said eyecup having an interior cavity defined by a first surface of said lens communicating along said circumferential edge with in said rear surface;

a sidewall disposed in said interior cavity;

said sidewall adapted for removable engagement with a perimeter edge of a moisture pad insertable in said interior cavity into an engaged position;

a bridge coupling said eyecups;

a soft, pliable gasket on said rear surface of each of said pair of eyecups, said gasket designed to substantially encircle and contact facial skin adjacent to the orbital bone of a respective eye socket of the wearer when said eyewear apparatus is in an as-worn position being worn by a user; and

means to maintain said eyewear apparatus in said as-worn position.

2. The eyewear apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one moisture pad, said moisture pad having two side surfaces terminating at said perimeter edge and having an ocular cavity communicating with at least one of said two surfaces; and

said ocular cavity dimensioned to accommodate a respective eye of said user therein when said moisture pad is in said engaged position and said eyewear apparatus is in said as-worn position.

3. The eyewear apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a pair of said moisture pads; and

each respective ocular cavity of said pair of moisture pads of said user, being in a substantially sealed communication with a respective eye of said user, when said eyewear apparatus in said as-worn position, whereby each respective eye of said user has a separate respective said ocular cavity in substantially sealed communication therewith.

4. The eyewear apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

said moisture pad formed of resilient material which biases against compression; and

said perimeter edge of said moisture pad having a circumference dimensioned to provide a biased engagement to said sidewall thereby providing removable biased engagement of said moisture pad in said engaged position.

5. The eyewear apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

each said moisture pad formed of resilient material which biases against compression; and

said perimeter edge of each said moisture pad having a circumference dimensioned to provide a biased engagement to said sidewall thereby providing removable biased engagement of said moisture pad in said engaged position.

6. The eyewear apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a first of said two side surfaces, having a circumference larger than a second of said side surfaces thereby forming a slanted perimeter edge;

said ocular cavity communicating with at least said second of said side surfaces;

said sidewall slating from a widest point closest to said lens, to a narrower point closest to said rear surface; and

whereby said perimeter edge when engaged with said sidewall provides means for removable engagement of said moisture pad in said interior cavity.

7. The eyewear apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a first of said two side surfaces, having a circumference larger than a second of said side surfaces thereby forming a slanted perimeter edge;

said ocular cavity communicating with at least said second of said side surfaces;

said sidewall slating from a widest point closest to said lens, to a narrower point closest to said rear surface; and

whereby said perimeter edge when engaged with said sidewall provides means for removable engagement of said moisture pad in said interior cavity.

8. The eyewear apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity; and

means to removably engage said means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity, within said interior cavity.

9. The eyewear apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity; and

means to removably engage said means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity, within said interior cavity.

10. The eyewear apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity is a component having dimensions sized to fit within said interior cavity, said component formed one of a group of components for temperature change consisting of microwaveable or refrigerateable gel packs, stones, ceramics, chemically activated hot and cold packs, and said moisture pad being formed of material which may be heated or chilled.

11. The eyewear apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity is a component having dimensions to fit within said interior cavity, said component formed one of a group of components for temperature change consisting of microwaveable or refrigerateable gel packs, stones, ceramics, chemically activated hot and cold packs, and said moisture pad being formed of material which may be heated or chilled.

12. The eyewear apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means to removably engage means to removably engage said means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity, within said interior cavity, is an engagement cavity formed in said moisture pad, said engagement cavity in said moisture pad adapted to removably engage said component therein.

13. The eyewear apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means to removably engage said means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity, within said interior cavity, is an engagement cavity formed in said moisture pad, said engagement cavity in said moisture pad adapted to removably engage said component therein.

14. The eyewear apparatus of claim 10 wherein said means to removably engage said means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity, within said interior cavity, is an engagement cavity formed in said moisture pad, said engagement cavity in said moisture pad adapted to removably engage said component therein.

15. The eyewear apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means to removably engage said means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity, within said interior cavity, is an engagement cavity formed in said moisture pad, said engagement cavity in said moisture pad adapted to removably engage said component therein.

16. The eyewear apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means to removably engage means to removably engage said means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity, within said interior cavity, is an engagement cavity formed by a gap defined by the area between one of said two side surfaces and said first surface of said lens.

17. The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means to maintain said eyewear apparatus in said as-worn position is a strap.

18. The eyewear apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

said moisture pads being members of a kit having a plurality of said moisture pads, each member of said kit having different treatment characteristics provided by scents or medicinal purpose, whereby said eyewear apparatus can be customized for the treatment provided to each individual eye of a user, by engaging the member of said kit having desired treatment characteristics.

21. The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein said gasket is formed by a projection extending from said moisture pad.

24. The eyewear apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

said moisture pad having an ocular cavity communicating with at both of said two surfaces.

25. The eyewear apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

both said moisture pads having an ocular cavity communicating with at both of said two surfaces, and

said ocular cavity communicating with said engagement cavity.

19. An eyewear apparatus for treating dry eye conditions comprising:

a pair of eyecups, each said eyecup having a soft, pliable, curved lens projecting from perimeter edge portion, said perimeter edge portion having a rear surface;

a bridge coupling said eyecups;

each said eyecup having an interior cavity defined by and area within a first surface of said lens portion projecting from a communication with said perimeter edge portion;

each said eyecup having a sidewall disposed upon said first surface;

a pair moisture pads, each of said moisture pads having two side surfaces terminating at a perimeter side edge, and each having an ocular cavity communicating with at least one of said two surfaces;

said perimeter side edge of each of said moisture pads adapted for removable biased engagement with said sidewall to removably mount said moisture pads in an engaged position;

said rear surface of said eyecups dimensioned to substantially encircle and contact facial skin adjacent to the orbital bone of a respective eye socket of the wearer when said eyewear apparatus is positioned in an as-worn position where it is being worn by a user; and

means to maintain said eyewear apparatus in said as-worn position, whereby each respective ocular cavity of said pair of moisture pads is in a substantially sealed communication with a separate respective eye of said user when said eyewear apparatus in said as-worn position.

20. The eyewear apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a soft, pliable gasket on said rear surface of each of said pair of eyecups.

22. The eyewear apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity; and

means to removably engage said means to communicate temperature change to said ocular cavity, within said interior cavity.

23. The eyewear apparatus of claim 22, wherein said means to removably engage said means to communicate temperature change within said interior cavity comprises:

forming said means to communicate temperature change into a temperature component, said temperature component dimensioned to engage in a cavity formed in said moisture pads or between said moisture pads and said first surface.