Tearscience, Inc.

Uv Innovators, LLC

Johnson and Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

Taer Science, Inc.

Stephen Michael Grenon

Donald R Korb

Benjamin T Gravely

Timothy R Willis

Randal B Chinnock

William L Weber

Scott Eric Liddle

John Martin Jans

Steve Bacich

Nicholas William Medendorp, Jr

Keith Hobart Gausmann

Nathan Thomas Luck

Jeffery Michael Rosino

Caroline Blackie

Steven Nelson Roe

David Chesley

Lyle Paul

Julia Rose Anderson

Joshua Grenon

Jordan W Hutchinson

Michael Zelina

Anthony Barret Smith

Steven Robert Bacich

Gary F Prokop

David Lee Foshee

Joey Nakayama

Omer Jack Barrier

Todd McNeil Pope

Robert Alexander Stevenson

Jesse Andrew Melton

Benjamin Graveley

Keith Gausmann

Benjamin Tyson Gravely

Ultraviolet (UV) light emission devices and related methods of use. The UV light emission devices disclosed herein are particularly suited for use in disinfecting surfaces and air. The UV light emission devices disclosed herein can be provided in the form factor of a handheld device that is easily held and manipulated by a human user. The human user can manipulate the handheld UV light emission device to decontaminate surfaces, air, and other areas by orienting the handheld UV light emission device so that the UV light emitted from its light source is directed to the area of interest to be decontaminated.

Ultraviolet (UV) light emission device employing visible light for operation guidance, and related methods of use, particularly suited for decontamination

Eyelid illumination systems and methods for imaging meibomian glands for meibomian gland analysis are disclosed. In one embodiment, a patient's eyelid is IR trans-illuminated with an infrared (IR) light. A trans-illumination image of the patient's eyelid is captured, showing meibomian glands in dark outlined areas, whereas non-gland material is shown in light areas. This provides a high contrast image of the meibomian glands that is X-ray-like. The lid trans-illumination image of the meibomian glands can be analyzed to determine to diagnose the meibomian glands in the patient's eyelid. The eyelid may be trans-illuminated by a lid-flipping device configured to grasp and flip the eyelid for imaging the interior surface of the eyelid. Also, an IR surface meibography image of the meibomian glands may also be captured and combined with the trans-illumination image of the meibomian glands to provide a higher contrast image of the meibomian glands.

Eyelid illumination systems and methods for imaging meibomian glands for meibomian gland analysis

Ocular surface interferometry devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for imaging an ocular tear film. An imaging device can be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture optical wave interference interactions of specularly reflected light from the tear film combined with a background signal(s) in a first image, wherein the specularly reflected light may be produced from various portions of the ocular tear film by obliquely illuminating various portions of the ocular tear film with a multi-wavelength light source, such as in a tiling pattern(s). The imaging device can also be focused on the lipid layer to capture a second image containing the background signal(s) present in the first image. The second image can be subtracted from the first image to reduce and/or eliminate the background signal(s) in the first image to produce a resulting image, which can used to measure a tear film layer thickness.

Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) for imaging, processing, and/or displaying an ocular tear film

Ultraviolet (UV) light emission device employing visible light for target distance guidance, and related methods of use, particularly suited for decontamination

Handheld ultraviolet (UV) emission device

Eyelid illumination systems and methods for imaging meibomian glands for meibomian gland analysis are disclosed. In one embodiment, a patient's eyelid is IR trans-illuminated with an infrared (IR) light. A trans-illumination image of the patient's eyelid is captured showing meibomian glands in dark outlined areas, whereas non-gland material is shown in light areas. This provides a high contrast image of the meibomian glands that is X-ray like. The lid trans-illumination image of the meibomian glands can be analyzed to determine to diagnose the meibomian glands in the patient's eyelid. The eyelid may be trans-illuminated by a lid-flipping device configured to grasp and flip the eyelid for imaging the interior surface of the eyelid. Also, an IR surface meibography image of the meibomian glands may also be captured and combined with the trans-illumination image of the meibomian glands to provide a higher contrast image of the meibomian glands.

Ultraviolet (UV) light emission device, and related methods of use, particularly suited for decontamination

Automatic power compensation in ultraviolet (UV) light emission device, and related methods of use, particularly suited for decontamination

Embodiments disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods for determining tear film break-up time and for detecting eyelid margin contact and blink rates, particularly for diagnosing, measuring, and/or analyzing dry eye conditions and symptoms. The apparatus and methods for determining tear film break-up time and for detecting eyelid margin contact and blink rates, particularly for diagnosing, measuring, and/or analyzing dry eye conditions and symptoms may employ ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices or other imaging and display devices capable of imaging and displaying a picture of a patient's eye during tear film break-up time and blink rate related procedures.

Apparatuses and methods for determining tear film break-up time and/or for detecting lid margin contact and blink rates, particularly for diagnosing, measuring, and/or analyzing dry eye conditions and symptoms

Apparatus and methods for treating dry eye include an energy source configured to apply energy to an obstruction located in a meibomian gland of a patient's eyelid. The apparatus also comprises an insulator configured to be positioned between a rear portion of the patient's eyelid and a surface of the patient's eyeball. An inner surface of the insulator has a curvature greater than that of the patient's eyeball such that an air pocket is formed between the inner surface of the insulator and the patient's eyeball, wherein the air pocket provides additional insulation to reduce or eliminate an amount of heat due to the applied energy from the energy source from being conducted to the surface of the patient's eyeball, such that the applied energy does not cause the temperature to reach a temperature sufficient to cause damage to a corneal or scleral portion of the patient's eyeball.

Methods and apparatuses for treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction

An apparatus providing heat for treatment of an eyelid includes a heater unit configured to apply heat directly to an outer surface of the eyelid when an electrical signal is applied to the heater unit. The heater unit is affixed directly to the outer surface of the eyelid using an adhesive. A temperature regulator applies the electrical signal to the heater unit in order to achieve heating of the outer surface of the eyelid to a specified temperature range. A method is also disclosed that comprises affixing a heater unit directly into contact with the outer surface of the eyelid using an the adhesive. A control signal is applied to the heater unit to generate heat to the outer surface of the eyelid and is maintained for a period of time until the outer surface of the eyelid is heated to a specified temperature range.

Melting meibomian gland obstructions

A method of treating dry eye includes delivering light energy from outside an eyelid toward the eyelid, and maintaining the delivery of the light energy toward the eyelid for a period of time to soften an obstruction of at least one meibomian gland. The light energy may be delivered specifically to the obstruction in the at least one meibomian gland without physically contacting the at least one meibomian gland, or the light energy delivered toward the eyelid may conductively apply heat to the meibomian gland to melt the obstruction. A corresponding apparatus includes a light energy source positionable outside an eyelid and configured to deliver the light energy from outside an eyelid toward the eyelid, and a controller configured to control the light energy source to maintain the delivery of the light energy toward the eyelid for a period of time to soften the obstruction.

Methods and apparatuses for treating gland dysfunction

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for the diagnosis and removal of the devitalized and/or dead cell material formed in the lid margin to attempt to restore a normal lid margin. In this manner, the devitalized and/or dead cell material are removed or the amount present is reduced or no longer present to prevent, reduce, or affect the transport of lipid secreted by the meibomian glands to the tear film to reduce evaporative dry eye and improve dry eye conditions in patients. The diagnosis and removal of devitalized and/or dead cell material may be performed at desired intervals. Patients that suffer from conditions that block meibomian gland orifices, partial, infrequent, or inhibited blinking resulting in reduced lipid secretions from meibomian glands, and/or blockages in meibomian gland channels reducing secretion of lipids through the meibomian gland orifices may require more frequent diagnosis and treatment to remove devitalized and/or dead cell material.

Apparatuses and methods for diagnosing and/or treating lipid transport deficiency in ocular tear films, and related components and devices

Growing community of inventors

Durham, NC, United States of America

Stephen Michael Grenon