Apparatus and method for reducing vision problems as a result of floaters

• US 7,771,342 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2005
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patrick J. Rademacher
• Original Assignee: Patrick J. Rademacher
• Inventors: Smith, Jason D., Rademacher, JoAnn K., Rademacher, Patrick J., Lemaire, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilbert; Samuel G
• Application Number:
  US11/238,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20060069420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,777 Days
• Field of Search: 600 9- 15
• US Class Current: 600/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/02 using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets A61N2/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/06 using magnetic fields produced by permanent magnets A61N2/12 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method for treating floater problems of the eye. In some embodiments, a magnet is non-invasively held in place against the face, and in particular, over the lower eyelid of the patient over an extended period of time, in order to control the position of the floaters and to stimulate the eye to better focus. In other embodiments, the device is included in eyeglasses that hold the magnet next to the lower eyelid. In some embodiments, the magnet is placed next to the lower eyelid. In some embodiments, the magnet is replaced by or supplemented with electrical stimulation. Some embodiments use a permanent magnet, while others use an AC or DC electromagnet. In some embodiments, a tapping device or heating device is included. The electro-magnetic force, tapping, and/or heat are controlled with a chip, circuit, and/or switch. In some embodiments, the device is placed under the skin.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the treatment of an eye problem of a user person, the apparatus comprising:

a therapy unit that supplies a floater-controlling therapeutically effective dose of a magnetic field, or both the magnetic field and an electric stimulation; and

a holder operatively coupled to the therapy unit so that the holder maintains the therapy unit in a therapeutically effective position on the person near the person'"'"'s eye, wherein the holder includes a bio-compatible adhesive material configured to hold the therapy unit to but readily release from the user'"'"'s skin, and wherein the therapy unit and the holder are assembled into a single unit operatively configured to be used alone and held to the person'"'"'s skin on only a lower eyelid of the person, wherein the holder includes a first surface facing away from the user'"'"'s skin and a second surface facing toward the user'"'"'s skin, the second surface having an area, wherein the therapy unit includes a permanent magnet and the adhesive material is affixed to a lower edge of the second surface, and at least one side edge but not a top edge of the second surface, and at least half the area of the second surface is free of adhesive when the adhesive material on the lower edge is adhered to the lower eyelid of the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet includes a magnetized synthetic rubber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet includes a rare-earth metal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a battery and an electromagnet operatively coupled to the battery, wherein the magnetic field is produced, at least in part, by the electromagnet.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a heating element operatively coupled to the battery.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transcutaneous electrical stimulation unit, wherein the electric stimulation is produced by the transcutaneous electrical stimulation unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation unit, wherein the electric stimulation includes electric nerve stimulation produced by the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the therapy unit includes a skin-contact surface and at least the skin-contact surface of the therapy unit is coated with a hypoallergenic material to prevent migration of material from the therapy unit to the user'"'"'s skin.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holder includes micropore-type tape.

10. An apparatus for the treatment of an eye problem of a person, the apparatus comprising:

a magnetic therapy unit consisting of a single magnet that supplies a floater-controlling therapeutically effective dose of a magnetic field; and

a holder operatively coupled to the therapy unit so that the holder is adapted to maintain the magnetic therapy unit in a therapeutically effective position against skin of a lower eyelid the person, wherein the holder includes eyeglasses, and wherein the magnet of the therapy unit is only near the lower rim of the eyeglasses and the holder is configured to hold the magnet of the magnetic therapy unit against the lower eyelid of the person.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the magnetic therapy unit is adapted to be held against the lower eyelid of the person by rim holders.

12. An apparatus for the treatment of an eye problem of a person, the apparatus comprising:

a therapy unit that supplies a floater-controlling therapeutically effective dose of a magnetic field, or both the magnetic field and an electric stimulation;

a holder operatively coupled to the therapy unit so that the holder maintains the therapy unit in a therapeutically effective position on the person near the person'"'"'s eye, wherein the holder includes a bio-compatible adhesive material configured to hold the therapy unit to but readily release from the user'"'"'s skin, and wherein the therapy unit and the holder are assembled into a single unit operatively configured to be used alone and held to the person'"'"'s skin on only a lower eyelid of the person, wherein the holder includes a first surface facing away from the user'"'"'s skin and a second surface facing toward the user'"'"'s skin, the second surface having an area, wherein the therapy unit includes a permanent magnet and the adhesive material is affixed to a lower edge of the second surface, and at least one side edge but not a top edge of the second surface, and at least half the area of the second surface is free of adhesive when the adhesive material on the lower edge is adhered to the lower eyelid of the user; and

an electronically powered tapping unit configured to periodically apply a tapping force the area next to the user'"'"'s eye.

13. A method of treating an eye problem that includes floaters, the method comprising:

applying a floater-controlling therapeutically effective dose of a field from a therapy unit to an outer surface of skin of a lower eyelid of an eye of a person; and

maintaining the field so that the field is applied from only below the eye in a therapeutically-effective position below the eye as the person uses the eye for seeing, wherein the field includes a magnetic component or both the magnetic component and an electric stimulation component, wherein the therapy unit includes a magnet, wherein the therapy unit has a first surface facing away from the user'"'"'s skin and a second surface facing toward the user'"'"'s skin, the second surface having an area, wherein the maintaining of the field in the therapeutically-effective position includes adhering a lower edge and at least one side edge but not a top edge of the second surface of the therapy unit to the lower eyelid of the person, and wherein at least half of the area of the second surface of the therapy unit is not adhered to the person.

14. A method of treating an eye problem that includes floaters, the method comprising:

applying a floater-controlling therapeutically effective dose of a field from a therapy unit to an outer surface of skin of a lower eyelid of an eye of a person;

maintaining the field so that the field is applied from only below the eye in a therapeutically-effective position below the eye as the person uses the eye for seeing, wherein the field includes a magnetic component, or both the magnetic component and an electric stimulation component, wherein the therapy unit includes a magnet, wherein the therapy unit has a first surface facing away from the user'"'"'s skin and a second surface facing toward the user'"'"'s skin, the second surface having an area, wherein the maintaining of the field in the therapeutically-effective position includes adhering a lower edge and at least one side edge but not a top edge of the second surface of the therapy unit to the lower eyelid of the person, and wherein at least half of the area of the second surface of the therapy unit is not adhered to the person;

applying a tapping force to the area next to the user'"'"'s eye; and

electronically controlling the tapping force.

15. An apparatus for treating a problem of an eye of a person, the apparatus comprising:

means for generating a therapeutically effective floater-controlling magnetic field; and

means for maintaining the field in a therapeutically effective position against a lower eyelid of the person for treatment of the eye problem as the person uses the eye for seeing, wherein the means for generating the therapeutically effective floater-controlling magnetic field includes a magnet, wherein the means for maintaining the field in the therapeutically effective position has a first surface facing away from the user'"'"'s skin and a second surface having an area facing toward the user'"'"'s skin, wherein the means for maintaining the field includes adhesive on a lower edge and at least one side edge but not a top edge of the second surface of the means for maintaining the field, and wherein at least half of the area of the second surface of the means for maintaining the field is not adhered to the person.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 comprising means for applying a tapping force to an area next to the user'"'"'s eye.