Scleral brace

Nov. 20, 1962 j. h. dixon 3,064,643

SCLERAL BRACE

Filed Dec. 13, 1960

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INVENTOR

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ATTORNEYS

3,064,643

Patented Nov. 20, 1962

United. States Patent Office

3,064,643 SCLERAL BRACE

James H. Dixon, Woodruff, S.C. Filed Dec. 13, I960, Ser. No. 75,543

Claims. (Cl. 128—76.5)

This invention is a novel scleral brace consisting of a thin, circular annulus of varying shape, size, or curve to be placed on the outside of the eyeball underneath the eyelid, there being a hole at the inner or anterior part of the device that covers only a small portion, or none, of the cornea. The brace may be made as a complete annulus, or a portion of the annulus may be omitted, and the brace may be made of plastic or other material which would accomplish the purpose for which it is intended and be compatible with the tissues of the eye.

One object of the invention is to provide a brace which is designed to induce changes in the power of the eye, by exerting pressure at certain points in the general area known as the corneo-scieral junction, and also by relieving pressure between the eyeball and the eyelid in the general area of the corneo-scieral junction. The pressure exerted by the brace will be toward the interior of the eye, or toward the exterior of the eye in all meridians or particular meridians.

The basic concept of the brace is to induce changes in the curvature of the cornea and/or to change the curvature of the posterior and/or anterior surfaces of the crystalline lens. The basic concept of the brace is to further prevent or retard changes from taking place in the above mentioned surfaces. The basic concept of the brace, further, is to relieve symptoms of discomfort associated with undesirable curvatures of the above mentioned surfaces, with or without inducing changes in curvature of the above mentioned surfaces.

The inner and outer (anterior and posterior respectively) edges of the device may be spherical, oval or any other shape, and both are not necessarily the same. The shape used will be that which would best fit the eye and accomplish the purposes for which it was intended.

The pressure exerted away from the interior of the eye is accomplished by holding the lid and the eye apart and also by capillary attraction between the eye and the brace.

The pressure exerted toward the interior of the eye is accomplished by direct pressure of the brace upon the eye, and also by reducing the width of the brace in certain meridians so that the lid can exert its usual pressure.

Pressure may be exerted in any or all meridians by ⁸⁸(1) varying the width of the brace in different meridians; (2) making the inner surface of the brace parallel or bent toward or away from the eye at certain areas;

(3) increasing or decreasing the thickness of the brace in certain areas; (4) changing the shape of the outer and inner edges of the brace; and (5) making an incomplete annulus of the brace. The outside surface may or may not have the same curvature as the inside surface, to achieve the best working relationship with the lids.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates several practical embodiments thereof, to enable others familiar v/ith the art to adopt and use the same, and will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view of one form of brace associated with an eyeball for exerting pressure toward the interior of the eye.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the brace shown in FIG. 1, detached.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the brace shown in FIG. 1, detached.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a modification of the brace for exerting pressure away from the interior of the eye asso5 dated with an eyeball.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the brace shown in FIG. 4, detached.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the brace shown in FIG. 4, detached.

FIG. 7 is a plan view similar to FIGS. 2 and 5 of a further modified brace coextensive with only a portion of the annulus shown in FIGS. 2 and 5.

In FIGS. 1 and 4, an eyeball is illustrated, the same having a cornea C and a sclera S, indicating at J the 15 corneo-scieral junction of the eyeball. My brace consists of a thin circular annulus 1 of varying shape, size and curvature to be placed on the outside of the eyeball underneath the eyelids, the same having an opening at the inner or anterior part of the brace that covers only a 20 small portion, or none, of the cornea C.

In the brace shown in FIG. 1, the member 1 is of annular shape, larger at its posterior end to suit the diameter of the eyeball sclera S, and is of smaller diameter at the anterior end and conforms with the shape and 25 size of the corneo-scieral junction J. The brace is formed of plastic or other moldable material which will accomplish the purpose for which it is intended while being compatible with the tissues of the eye. The brace is fitted on the eyeball itself under the eyelids, and the 3° plastic would be of any desired or appropriate material commonly used in application to sensitive areas of the human body.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the brace is intended to exert pressure toward the interior of the eyeball, and for this 35 purpose brace annulus 1 is provided with a concave arcuate portion la adjacent its anterior end, the same terminating at the corneo-scieral junction J, and the portion la as shown being formed to an arc of circle centered at the point P which is disposed on a line Q which bisects ⁴⁸ the arcuate portion la, the point P lying beyond the outer surface of the brace 1 as clearly shown, so that when the brace is disposed on the eyeball under the eyelid, pressure will be exerted on the eyeball by direct pressure of the arcuate portion la upon the sclera S.

⁴⁸ However, the direct pressure upon the eye may be accomplished by reducing the width of the brace in certain meridians so that the eyelid can exert its usual pressure. Pressure may be exerted in any or all meridians by varying the width of the brace in different meridians, or by making the inner surface of the brace parallel or bent away or towards the eye at certain areas, or by increasing or decreasing the thickness of the brace in certain areas, or by changing the shape of the outer and inner edges of the brace, or by making an incomplete annulus ° of the brace. Furthermore, the outside of the surface of the brace may or may not have the same curvature as the inside surface, to achieve the best working relationship with the lid.

In FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 a modified form is shown in which ⁶⁸ the brace 10 is provided adjacent the corneo-scieral junction J with a convex portion lOx terminating at the anterior end of the brace, the convex portion 10x conforming with an arc of a circle centered at point R disposed on a line T which bisects the convex portion lOx, the ⁶⁸ point R being disposed inside the outer surface of the brace, as clearly shown, so that the convex portion lOx will exert pressure on the eyelid away from the interior of the eye, and will hold the lid and the eye apart.

In FIG. 7 is shown a modified brace which includes 7° only a portion of the annulus shown in FIGS. 2 or 5, the same extending less than 360°, leaving a gap between the opposite ends of the brace; otherwise the brace would

3,064,643 be similar in all respects to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but could of course if desired be similar to that shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In each of the modifications the brace terminates about the corneo-scleral junction J and the value of the 5 brace resides in the pressure that is exerted at this point by the particular indentations or raised surfaces of the brace at junction J. The brace will not cover the cornea C itself, except possibly in some modifications where for strength or desired pressure, clear plastic might cover 10 the cornea for these purposes only.

The brace is designed to induce changes in the power of the eye by exerting pressure at certain points in the general area known as the corneo-scleral junction J, and also by relieving pressure between the eye and the eye- 15 lids in the general area of the corneo-scleral junction. The. pressure exerted by the device will be toward the interior of the eye, or toward the exterior of the eye in all meridians or particular meridians.

The brace is designed to induce changes in the curva- 20 tore of the cornea C and/or to change the curvature of the posterior and/or anterior surfaces of the crystalline lens; further to prevent or retard changes from taking place in the above mentioned surfaces; further to relieve symptoms of discomfort associated with undesirable cur- 25 vatures of the above mentioned surfaces, with or without inducing changes in curvature of the above mentioned surfaces.

The inner and outer (anterior and posterior respectively) edges of the brace may be spherical, oval or any 30 other shape and both are not necessarily the same. The shape used will be that which would best fit the eye and accomplish the purposes for which it was intended.

Pressure may be exerted in any or all meridians by (1) varying the width of the brace in different meridians; 35 (2) making the inner surface of the brace parallel or .

bent toward or away from the eye at certain areas; (3) increasing or decreasing the thickness of the brace in certain areas; (4) changing the shape of the outer and inner edges of the brace; and (5) making an incomplete annulus of the brace.

The outside surface may or may not have the same curvature as the inside surface to achieve the best working relationship with the lids.

I do not limit my invention to the exact forms shown in the drawing, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.