Optics: eye examining – vision testing and correcting – Eye examining or testing instrument
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-17
2001-02-06
Manuel, George (Department: 3737)
Optics: eye examining, vision testing and correcting
Eye examining or testing instrument
Reexamination Certificate
active
06183085
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to diagnostic lens devices for examining portions of the human eye and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for converting a standard diagnostic lens housing any number of mirrors such as a gonioscopy lens or a fundus contact lens used for both irido-corneal and retinal evaluations as well as evaluation of other portions of the eye into a rotatable diagnostic lens wherein the mirror/mirrors associated with the lens device can be selectively rotated to properly position the appropriate mirror opposite the area of the eye to be examined.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Diagnostic lenses such as fundoscopic and gonioscopy lenses are commonly used for various types of ocular evaluation. These types of lenses are specifically designed to allow different areas of the retina and other portions of the eye to be evaluated and are typically used to review the posterior, equatorial and anterior areas of the retina, the ora serrata, the anterior chamber, the posterior chamber, the vitreous chamber, and more. Such lenses are useful because they allow an optometrist, ophthalmologist, or other eye care professional to examine the interior of the eye for potential ocular defects and/or disease. Because the pupil of the eye is small and the eye is essentially spherical, it is difficult to visually examine various interior portions of the eye with a normal lens. Thus, it is difficult to examine many portions of the eye such as peripheral portions of the vitreous chamber and the retina. In order to allow viewing of substantially the entire vitreous chamber and retina of the eye, as well as other areas, diagnostic lenses such as gonioscopy lenses and fundus contact lenses were developed.
Known prior art diagnostic lenses, such as the known gonioscopy lenses and multi-mirrored fundus contact lenses, typically include a concave central lens located at one end portion thereof and a plurality of mirrors positioned around the central lens which are encased in a funnel-shaped cone and protected by a planar glass viewing surface. The central viewing lens is utilized to assess the posterior 30° of the retina. Lateral or adjacent to the central lens are a plurality of mirrors, typically three mirrors, which are spaced 120° apart and are mounted at different angles of inclination to the funnel-shaped cone to allow different areas of the eye to be evaluated. Typically, these mirrors are angled at 59°, 67° and 73°. These mirrors reflect light at different angles so that different parts of the eye can be examined. In order to identify a specific mirror, manufacturers of these lenses have universally assigned three sizes and shapes to the mirrors so that the users thereof can quickly and easily identify each mirror and its associated angular inclination.
Other prior art diagnostic lenses of this type are formed from a solid piece of clear plastic of a specific polymer or acrylic resin composition wherein surfaces are shaped and cut at different angles of inclination such that the natural refraction of light through these angled surfaces will likewise allow different parts of the eye to be examined. These cut and angled surfaces function in the same manner as the mirrors described above and such surfaces are also differently sized and shaped for easy identification.
The selection and position of the specific mirror or angled surface to be utilized during an evaluation depends upon that portion of the eye which needs to be evaluated. The selected mirror or surface is then placed opposite the area to be evaluated. For example, if the 12 o'clock position of the peripheral retina needs to be evaluated and a mirrored lens is being utilized, the median sized mirror which is angled at 67° can be positioned at the 6 o'clock position of the retina so as to view the affected area. Each mirror or angled surface allows the user to inspect and evaluate different portions of the eye based upon the shape and inclination of such mirrors or angled surfaces.
Because the mirrors or surfaces are inclined at different angles and are typically circumferentially spaced apart, it is necessary to rotate the known prior art lenses a full 360° in order to examine the entire retina or other portions of the eye. Manipulation and positioning of the appropriate mirror or surface at the appropriate location relative to the retina is generally accomplished by manually rotating the entire lens device on the eye of the patient until the selected mirror or surface is located in the proper position. This orientation is obtained by simply rotating the lens between the forefinger and thumb of the user so that the lens is 180° opposite the area to be evaluated. Rotation of the lens can be accomplished with one or two hands depending upon the practitioner. The user, when using a prior art lens of this type, must therefore coordinate the use and manipulation of the slit-lamp biomicroscope which is used in conjunction with these types of lenses with manual rotation of the gonioscopy or other diagnostic lens on the eye of the patient.
Although co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/022,214, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,510, is directed to several embodiments of a rotatable diagnostic lens for ocular evaluation wherein any number of mirrors associated with such lens devices can be rotated separate and apart from the overall device, it is also desirable to provide an apparatus and method for converting existing conventional non-rotatable diagnostic lens to a rotatable type lens which will enable a user to not only continue to use existing lens equipment, but which will enable the user to more easily and freely manipulate the mirrors associated with such lens during ocular evaluations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention teaches the construction and operation of several embodiments of an apparatus and method for converting a non-rotatable diagnostic lens for ocular evaluation into a rotatable lens device. More particularly, in one aspect of the present invention, an annular peripheral member or jacket is rotatably positioned and/or installed adjacent the outer periphery of the housing member of a conventional non-rotatable diagnostic lens intermediate the opposed end portions thereof, both the annular peripheral member and the lens device being rotatably movable relative to each other when the annular peripheral member is engaged therewith. This arrangement enables a user to hold the annular peripheral member in a fixed stationary position while the conventional lens device is selectively rotated therewithin to properly orient the appropriate mirror/mirrors or angled surfaces associated with such lens device for viewing of the desired area of the eye. With the present annular peripheral member or jacket properly installed, a conventional diagnostic lens can be rotated a full 360° allowing continuous or uninterrupted viewing of the interior portions of the eye when the diagnostic lens is positioned adjacent a patient's eye for ocular evaluation. The eye practitioner can therefore securely hold the diagnostic lens within the present attachment member by simply holding the peripheral member between the thumb and forefinger and thereafter rotating the entire diagnostic lens device through the use of one's index finger. Unlike the lens devices disclosed in the parent application, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,510, use of the present peripheral member does allow the diagnostic lens to rotate or otherwise move while the lens device is positioned in contact with a patient's eye. As with the conventional use of diagnostic lens such as known gonioscopy lens and multi-mirror fundus contact lens, a cushioning agent is used between the lens device and a patient's eye to substantially reduce and/or eliminate any discomfort to the patient during the mirror/angled surface selection and positioning process. Also, importantly, use of the present attachment device enables rotation of the lens device to be easily accomplished with one hand.
It is recognized and anticipat
Roggy David L.
Roggy Sheri L.
Blackwell Sanders Peper & Martin
Manuel George
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for converting a standard non-rotatable... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for converting a standard non-rotatable..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for converting a standard non-rotatable... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2564255