Stimulation patterns for treating dry eye

• US 9,687,652 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oculeve Incorporated (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Oculeve Incorporated (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Franke, Manfred, Loudin, James Donald, Baldwin, Jarren Armond
• Primary Examiner(s): Moran, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinga, Roland
• Application Number:
  US14/809,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20160022992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 607 46, 607 53, 607116, 607135, 607141
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0526 Head electrodes A61N1/0551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0546 Nasal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3606 adapted for a particular treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators

Abstract

Described herein are electrical stimulation patterns and methods of use thereof for treating dry eye disease, tired eye, or other forms of ocular discomfort. The methods generally include applying patterned stimulation to an anatomical structure located in an ocular region or a nasal region to increase tear production.

Claims

1. A handheld system comprising one or more stimulation electrodes and a control subsystem, wherein the control subsystem comprises a programmable memory configured to store a plurality of patterned stimulation waveforms configured to generate a sensed paresthesia, and wherein at least one of the plurality of patterned stimulation waveforms comprises a pulse shape, maximum amplitude, and pulse width that are concurrently modulated over time, and wherein the pulse width is modulated over time according to an exponential function,

wherein the exponential function comprises a first phase wherein the pulse width is equal to (PW_max−

PW_min)(1−

e<sup>−

(t/τ

)</sup>), where PW_max is the maximum pulse width, PW_min is the minimum pulse width, and τ

is a time constant.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the exponential function comprises a second phase wherein the pulse width is equal to (PW_max−

PW_min)(e<sup>−

(t/τ

)</sup>).

3. The system of claim 2, wherein PW_max is 300 μ

s, PW_min is 0 μ

s, and τ

is 0.2 μ

s.