System and method for eyelid stimulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10974046-B2
Application number	US-201916270024-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2019
Priority date	Dec 14, 2011
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

A system and method of treating hyperactivity of an eyelid closing muscle in a subject includes providing a stimulation system in the subject with the hyperactivity of the eyelid closing muscle, sensing an activity of the eyelid closing muscle, and selectively stimulating eyelid opening muscle(s) or innervating nerves, eyelid opening reflexes, or eyelid opening reflexes in non-muscular tissue, using the stimulation system, without substantially activating the eyelid closing muscle. The system and method evokes eyelid movement in the subject.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stimulation system for treating hyperactivity of an eyelid closing muscle in a subject, the system comprising:
an activating switch configured to generate a first signal, wherein the activating switch includes a sensing electrode configured to detect activity of the eyelid closing muscle in an eye and to generate the first signal based on the detected activity;
a processor, in communication with the activating switch, configured to generate at least one stimulation parameter, based on the first signal, in order to stimulate one or more eyelid opening muscles or innervating nerves of the subject; and
a stimulator configured to receive the at least one stimulation parameter and to selectively activate the one or more eyelid opening muscles or innervating nerves of the subject in the same eye based on the at least one stimulation parameter, without activating the eyelid closing muscle in the subject.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the activating switch is a manual activator configured to generate the first signal when operated by the subject.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the activating switch automatically generates the first signal based on sensed parameters.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the activating switch is a manual activator configured to generate the first signal when manually operated by the subject.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the stimulator is configured to selectively stimulate the one or more eyelid opening muscles or innervating nerves using electrical stimulation, mechanical stimulation, vibratory stimulation, or combinations thereof.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the stimulator is a vibration generator configured to stimulate the one or more eyelid opening muscles or innervating nerves of the subject.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the vibration generator is a piezoelectric actuator, an electrodynamic actuator, a mechanical actuator, or combinations thereof.

Assignees

• Med El Elektromedizinische Geraete Gmbh

Inventors

• Lindenthaler Werner

Classifications

• A61H2201/5058

  Sensors or detectors · CPC title

• A61N1/36046

  of the eye · CPC title

• A61H2201/5097

  wireless · CPC title

• A61H23/0245

  with ultrasonic transducers, e.g. piezoelectric · CPC title

• A61N1/36031

  using physiological parameters for adjustment · CPC title