Gonioscopic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11019996-B2
Application number	US-201916706525-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2019
Priority date	Mar 20, 2015
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

A gonioscopic attachment can attach to a gonioscope and can include atraumatic retention elements that are configured to engage an eye to retain the gonioscope relative to the eye. The gonioscopic attachment can be configured to position the gonioscope so that at least a portion of the concave distal surface of the gonioscopic optical element is spaced apart from the eye, and/or so that the curvature of the distal surface is angularly offset from the curvature of the eye. The gonioscope can include a fixation point configured to be visible to the subject when the gonioscope is positioned on the eye. In some embodiments, the retention elements can be incorporated directly into the gonioscope. A coupling mechanism can couple the gonioscope to a lid speculum. The gonioscope can include a light pipe, which can be configured to directly light into the eye.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of using a gonioscope, the method comprising:
positioning a gonioscopic optical element so that a concave distal surface of the gonioscopic optical element is on an eye of a subject;
causing the eye of the subject to look at a fixation point on the gonioscope during a first time;
directing light into the eye to illuminate a structure inside the eye, so that light from the structure inside the eye is received through the distal surface and into the gonioscopic optical element and output from a proximal surface of the gonioscopic optical element for producing an image of the structure inside the eye during the first time; and
causing the eye of the subject to look at a different fixation point during a second time for producing an image of a different structure inside the eye.

2. The method of claim 1 , positioning the gonioscopic optical element to produce an image of the anterior chamber of the eye.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fixation point is on an outside surface of the gonioscopic optical element.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fixation point comprises a light source.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fixation point comprises a light pipe.

6. A gonioscope comprising:
a gonioscopic optical element that includes:
a concave distal surface configured to be positioned on an eye of a subject; and
a proximal surface, wherein the gonioscopic optical element is configured to receive light from a structure inside the eye through the distal surface, and to output the light from the proximal surface to produce an image of the structure inside the eye;

a handle coupled to the gonioscopic optical element; and
a fixation point configured so that when the eye of the subject looks directly at the fixation point, the gonioscopic optical element is oriented relative to the eye so that the light output from the proximal surface produces an image of the structure inside the eye;
wherein the gonioscope includes multiple fixation points having different appearances and different locations.

7. The gonioscope of claim 6 , wherein the fixation point is configured so that when the eye of the subject looks directly at the fixation point, the gonioscopic optical element is oriented relative to the eye so that the light output from the proximal surface produces an image of the anterior chamber of the eye.

8. The gonioscope of claim 6 , wherein the fixation point is on an outside surface of the gonioscopic optical element.

9. The gonioscope of claim 6 , wherein the gonioscopic optical element has a first side that is thicker than a second side, and wherein the fixation point is on the first side of the gonioscopic optical element.

10. The gonioscope of claim 6 , wherein the fixation point comprises a light source.

11. The gonioscope of claim 6 , wherein the fixation point comprises a light pipe.

12. A gonioscope comprising:
a gonioscopic optical element that includes:
a concave distal surface configured to be positioned on an eye of a subject; and
a proximal surface, wherein the gonioscopic optical element is configured to receive light from a structure inside the eye through the distal surface, and to output the light from the proximal surface to produce an image of the structure inside the eye;

a handle coupled to the gonioscopic optical element; and
a fixation point configured so that when the eye of the subject looks directly at the fixation point, the gonioscopic optical element is oriented relative to the eye so that the light output from the proximal surface produces an image of the structure inside the eye;
wherein the fixation point comprises a light pipe and wherein a portion of the light pipe is disposed outside the gonioscopic optical element, and a portion of the light pipe extends into a recess in the gonioscopic optical element.

13. The gonioscope of claim 12 , wherein the fixation point is configured so that when the eye of the subject looks directly at the fixation point, the gonioscopic optical element is oriented relative to the eye so that the light output from the proximal surface produces an image of the anterior chamber of the eye.

14. A gonioscope comprising:
a gonioscopic optical element having a concave distal surface and configured to be positioned over an eye of a subject for imaging a structure inside the eye; and
at least one fixation point configured to be visible to a subject when the gonioscopic optical element is positioned over the eye of the subject;
wherein the at least one fixation point comprises a light pipe and wherein the light pipe is configured to direct light from a microscope into the eye to be visible to the subject.

15. The gonioscope of claim 14 , wherein the fixation point is configured so that when the eye of the subject looks directly at the fixation point, the gonioscopic optical element is oriented relative to the eye so that light output from a proximal surface of the gonioscopic optical element produces an image of the anterior chamber of the eye.

16. The gonioscope of claim 14 , wherein the fixation point is on an outside surface of the gonioscopic optical element.

17. The gonioscope of claim 14 , wherein the gonioscopic optical element has a first side that is thicker than a second side, and wherein the fixation point is on the first side of the gonioscopic optical element.

18. The gonioscope of claim 14 , wherein the fixation point comprises a light source.

19. The gonioscope of claim 14 , wherein the fixation point comprises a light pipe.

20. The gonioscope of claim 19 , wherein the gonioscopic optical element is overmolded around the light pipe.

21. A gonioscope comprising:
a gonioscopic optical element having a concave distal surface and configured to be positioned over an eye of a subject for imaging a structure inside the eye; and
at least one fixation point configured to be visible to a subject when the gonioscopic optical element is positioned over the eye of the subject;
wherein the gonioscope includes multiple fixation points having different appearances and different locations.

22. The gonioscope of claim 21 , wherein the fixation point is configured so that when the eye of the subject looks directly at the fixation point, the gonioscopic optical element is oriented relative to the eye so that light output from a proximal surface of the gonioscopic optical element produces an image of the anterior chamber of the eye.

23. A gonioscope comprising:
a gonioscopic optical element having a concave distal surface and configured to be positioned over an eye of a subject for imaging a structure inside the eye; and
at least one fixation point configured to be visible to a subject when the gonioscopic optical element is positioned over the eye of the subject;
wherein the gonioscope includes three or more fixation points having different appearances and aligned along a linear path.

24. A gonioscope comprising:
a gonioscopic optical element having a concave distal surface and configured to be positioned over an eye of a subject for imaging a structure inside the eye; and
at least one fixation point configured to be visible to a subject when the gonioscopic optical element is positioned over the eye of the subject;
wherein the at least one fixation point comprises a plurality of light sources configured to be selectively illuminated.

25. The gonioscope of claim 24 , wherein the fixation point is conf

Assignees

• Glaukos Corp

Inventors

• Kalina Jr Charles Raymond
• Burns Thomas W
• Calcaterra Chris
• Collins Edward
• Mccauley Timothy
• Haffner David S
• Henderson Steven M

Classifications

• A61B3/0091

  Fixation targets for viewing direction · CPC title

• G02B5/0808

  having a single reflecting layer (G02B5/0883, G02B5/0891 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B3/0033

  characterised by user input arrangements · CPC title

• A61B3/117 Primary

  for examining the anterior chamber or the anterior chamber angle, e.g. gonioscopes · CPC title

• G02B7/002

  Mounting on the human body · CPC title