Implantable devices and methods for measuring intraocular, subconjunctival or subdermal pressure and/or analyte concentration
First Claim
1. A method of determining intraocular pressure in a human or veterinary patient, said method comprising the steps of:
- (A) implanting within the eye an optical pressure sensor that comprises a Fabry-Perot interferometer having two parallel optical reflecting surfaces with an optical reflecting cavity therebetween, wherein one of the optical reflecting surfaces comprises a pressure-sensitive diaphragm that is in contact with intraocular fluid such that the pressure-sensitive diaphragm moves relative to changes in the intraocular pressure of the eye thereby causing the depth of the optical reflecting cavity to vary relative to changes in the intraocular pressure;
(B) positioning a receiver/processor, which comprises an optical spectrum analyzer, at a location in front of the eye;
(C) using a light source to cast emitted light at a plurality of wavelengths through the intact cornea of the eye such that the emitted light enters the optical reflecting cavity and reflected light then reflects from the optical reflecting cavity and travels, free of any waveguide, outwardly through the intact cornea and to the receiver/processor positioned in front of the eye; and
,(D) using the optical spectrum analyzer to ratiometrically measure reflectance spectra of the reflected light at said plurality of wavelengths and to obtain, on the basis of said ratiometric measurement, an indication of current intraocular pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, apparatus and systems for measuring pressure and/or for quantitative or qualitative measurement of analytes within the eye or elsewhere in the body. Optical pressure sensors and/or optical analyte sensors are implanted in the body and light is cast from an extracorporeal light source, though the cornea, conjunctiva or dermis, and onto a reflective element located within each pressure sensor or analyte sensor. The position or configuration of each sensor'"'"'s reflective element varies with pressure or analyte concentration. Thus, the reflectance spectra of light reflected by the sensors'"'"' reflective elements will vary with changes in pressure or changes in analyte concentration. A spectrometer or other suitable instrument is used to process and analyze the reflectance spectra of the reflected light, thereby obtaining an indication of pressure or analyte concentration adjacent to the sensor(s). The wavelength of the interrogating beam of light may vary to control out potential interference or inaccuracies in the system.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of determining intraocular pressure in a human or veterinary patient, said method comprising the steps of:
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(A) implanting within the eye an optical pressure sensor that comprises a Fabry-Perot interferometer having two parallel optical reflecting surfaces with an optical reflecting cavity therebetween, wherein one of the optical reflecting surfaces comprises a pressure-sensitive diaphragm that is in contact with intraocular fluid such that the pressure-sensitive diaphragm moves relative to changes in the intraocular pressure of the eye thereby causing the depth of the optical reflecting cavity to vary relative to changes in the intraocular pressure; (B) positioning a receiver/processor, which comprises an optical spectrum analyzer, at a location in front of the eye; (C) using a light source to cast emitted light at a plurality of wavelengths through the intact cornea of the eye such that the emitted light enters the optical reflecting cavity and reflected light then reflects from the optical reflecting cavity and travels, free of any waveguide, outwardly through the intact cornea and to the receiver/processor positioned in front of the eye; and
,(D) using the optical spectrum analyzer to ratiometrically measure reflectance spectra of the reflected light at said plurality of wavelengths and to obtain, on the basis of said ratiometric measurement, an indication of current intraocular pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification