Device for in-vivo determination of eye moisture

Abstract

A medical diagnostic device and method, the device including: (a) an alternating current source, adapted to produce an alternating current; (b) an electrode arrangement having at least first and second electrodes, separated by an electrically insulating region, the arrangement having an at least semi-rigid region that fixes the electrodes in a spaced-apart manner, the arrangement adapted to contact the soft tissue on the inner surface of the eyelid; and (c) a processor, associated with the electrode arrangement, said electrodes electrically connected to the alternating current source; wherein, when the electrode arrangement is provided with the alternating current, and is disposed against the soft tissue, the soft tissue electrically bridges between the electrodes to form an electrical circuit, wherein an electrical signal is produced by the alternating current electrically passing between the electrodes via the soft tissue; wherein the processor is adapted to receive in-vivo based electrical information originating from the electrical signal, via the circuit, and to produce an output relating to, or derived from, the moisture parameter, based on the in-vivo electrical information; and wherein the processor is designed and configured to compute the moisture parameter in the soft tissue, at least partially based on the in-vivo electrical information, and based on an empirical correlation between the in-vivo electrical information and the moisture parameter.