METHOD OF MEASURING ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE VALUE OF CORNEAL TRANS-EPITHELIUM

• US 20110046509A1
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nagasaki University, Osaka University
• Original Assignee: Nagasaki University, Tohoku University National Universities Corporation
• Inventors: Nishida, Koji, Tanaka, Yuji, Kitaoka, Takashi, Kaji, Hirokazu, Nishizawa, Matsuhiko, Sekine, Soichiro, Uematsu, Masafumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye

Abstract

The invention provides a method for evaluating a corneal disorder quantitatively and is applicable to living eyes. In particular, the invention provides a method for measuring a corneal transepithelial electric resistance, which method comprises: (1) a step of placing a first electrode on the cornea and a second electrode on the conjunctiva; and (2) a step of flowing an electric current between the first electrode and the second electrode to measure the electric resistance. The invention also provides a device for measuring a corneal transepithelial electric resistance value.

Claims

1. A method for measuring a corneal transepithelial electric resistance value, comprising placing electrodes on a cornea and a conjunctiva.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a periphery of the electrode placed on the cornea is insulated.

4. The method according to claim 1 which is carried out about a living eye.

11. The method according to claim 3 which is carried out about a living eye.

2. A method for measuring a corneal transepithelial electric resistance comprising:

(1) a step of placing a first electrode on the cornea and a second electrode on the conjunctiva; and

(2) a step of flowing an electric current between the first electrode and the second electrode to measure an electric resistance.

5. A device for measuring a corneal transepithelial electric resistance about a living eye, which comprises:

(1) a first electrode suitable to be placed on a cornea,

(2) a second electrode suitable to be placed on a conjunctiva, and

(3) an insulator that insulates the first electrode, with the first electrode and the insulator being integrated.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the first electrode and the insulator are integrated via a conductor.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the second electrode is further integrated.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein the insulator is made of silicone rubber, and the insulator has a contact surface to the cornea having the same curvature as that of the cornea.

9. The device according to claim 5, wherein the second electrode is formed into a sheet shape.

10. The device according to claim 5, wherein the conductor is a gel of hyaluronic acid or atelocollagen.