Ophthalmic sulcus speculum

(54) OPHTHALMIC SULCUS SPECULUM

(76) Inventor: Richard B. Foulkes, Riverside, IL (US)

Correspondence Address:
Robert W. Fieseler
McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd.
34th Floor

500 West Madison Street
Chicago, IL 60661 (US)

(21) Appl. No.: 10/349,061

(22) Filed: Jan. 21, 2003

Related U.S. Application Data

(60) Provisional application No. 60/351,219, filed on Jan. 22, 2002.

Publication Classification (51) Int. CI.7 A61B 1 32

(52) U.S. C I 600232

(57) ABSTRACT

Devices in accordance with certain embodiments ol the present sulcus speculum are designed to be placed into the sulcus ol an eye to perform one or more ol the following functions: evacuation of fluid, opening of the lids, and application of drugs such as anesthetic or antibiotics. The present devices can include a sponge positioned around (a) an aspiration tube for withdrawing fluid and (b) an arm of a speculum. Other variations of the present devices include those with an aspiration tube for withdrawing fluid, the tube being positioned in a trough defined by an arm of a speculum. Alternatively, the speculum arm can define a passage for holding the aspiration tube. In that alternate embodiment, the portion of the speculum arm defining the passage has openings for passing fluid into the passage so that the aspiration tube in the passage can then remove fluid.