Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-12690854-B2
Publication Date
2026-07-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
An ophthalmic speculum includes arms, a locking mechanism, and an air-flow system. The arms include a first arm and a second arm. Each arm has a retractor shaped to conform to an eyelid of a pair of eyelids of an eye. The retractors are substantially symmetrical about a lateral axis. The locking mechanism is coupled to the arms. The locking mechanism moves the arms to allow the retractors to retract the pair of eyelids, and fixes the arms into place to maintain retraction of the pair of eyelids. The air-flow system is coupled to at least one arm, and moves air in a region disposed outwardly from a surface of the eye.
Core Innovation
The invention describes an ophthalmic speculum with arms and retractors shaped to conform to the eyelids, and a locking mechanism that maintains eyelid retraction. An air-flow system moves air across a region outward from the eye surface. The described airflow may be laminar and generally directed from one eyelid toward the other, or may use other selected patterns.
The described problem is that laser-ablation products above the eye can attenuate the laser beam. The air-flow system removes these products from above the eye to reduce attenuation of the laser beam. The disclosed arrangements also include adjustable airflow height and spacers that raise the airflow relative to the eye surface to reduce ocular drying.
Claims Coverage
The claims include three independent claims: two directed to an ophthalmic speculum and one directed to a method for moving air away from an eye surface. The three inventive features concern eyelid retraction with laminar airflow, the corresponding method, and a computer-controlled system for selecting airflow patterns.
Ophthalmic speculum with laminar airflow
The speculum has arms with retractors shaped to conform to the eyelids and a locking mechanism that moves and fixes the arms to maintain eyelid retraction. An air-flow system coupled to at least one arm moves air in a laminar flow across the eye surface, generally from a first eyelid toward a second eyelid.
Method for moving air away from an eye surface
The method moves arms to allow retractors to retract the eyelids, fixes the arms with a locking mechanism, and uses an air-flow system coupled to at least one arm to move air across the eye surface in a laminar flow generally from one eyelid toward the other.
Computer-controlled airflow patterns
The speculum includes aspirators that move air away from the eye surface, air blowers that move air across it, and a computer that determines and controls an airflow pattern. The patterns include laminar flow across the eye surface, a low-pressure area that moves air toward and then away from the surface, or rotational flow that moves air away from it.
The independent claims cover an eyelid-retracting ophthalmic speculum with airflow across the eye, a method using that arrangement, and a computer-controlled speculum that selects among specified airflow patterns.
Stated Advantages
The airflow removes laser-ablation products from above the eye to reduce attenuation of the laser beam.
Spacers adjust the airflow height relative to the eye surface to reduce ocular drying.
Documented Applications
The ophthalmic speculum and airflow system are described for removing laser-ablation products from above the eye during laser ablation.
Interested in licensing this patent?