Патент USA US2365032

Dec.1'2, 1944.
H. w. WILKINSON
2,365,032
EYE PAD
Filed Dec. 22. 1941
FIE|__ _'L__
F1E_E1__‘
F'IEEI'_E__
INVENTOR
BY 1; :
{Q26
ATTORNEY
Patented Dec. 12, 1944
‘ 2,365,032’
UNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE
‘ 2,365,032
‘
EYE PAD
Hall‘ Weldon Wilkinson, San Jose, Calif.
Application December 22‘, 1941, Serial No. 423,911
'8' Claims. (Cl. 128-163)
This invention relates to eye pads and particu
larly: to an eye pad comprising an inner layer of
absorbent material interposed between opposite
layers of sheeted covering material and of. the
character commonly used in medical practice as
an absorbent dressing, such as a surgical type of
dressing, for application over‘the eye of a patient.
. In use, an eye. 3pad of this character, and of
pad, so that part of the pad may come unduly
to overlap the brow, temple or check boner
Thirdly, they fail to maintain for a, sufficient
length. of time the desired restriction of eyelid
movement This is due to the fact that the loss
of original shape and position resulting from the
spreading and slippage just mentioned materially
reduces the original thickness of the pad and
they character contemplated by my invention and
permits it to become loose in situ, thereby suh- I
disclosed herein, is intended to be applied in 10 tracting from the mild pressure that was origin
and over the recession of the orbital region of
ally applied against the pad and eyelids by the.
the face with one flat surface of. the pad in di
?xating strips of adhesivev tape and that is nec
rect contact with the. eyelids and withthe pad as.
essary for maintenance of eyelid immobilization.
a. whole ?lling in the orbitalrecession and ac- '
In the fourth ‘place, di?‘iculty is frequently ex
commodating itself to the bony conformation of. 15 perienced in satisfactorily or conveniently ?xing
the orbital area. The pad is usually ‘?xed in
present eye pads in the desired position in the,
the desired positionby- means of several or more
orbital recession because, they get out of shape.
strips of ordinary adhesive tape extended across
even due to the gentle manual handling during.
from the brow to the check and from the nose
this procedure. This is a distinct disadvantage
to. the temple area and applied tautly enough 20 because proper placement and ?xation of a non
that the mild pressure thus exerted on the pad
distorted pad is essential to the end of maximal
is transmitted through this element and to the
performance of function. Lastly, from a cosmetic
eyelids themselves. The. primary purpose of the
standpoint, they quickly become unsightly in ap
pad is to hold the. eyelids closed and eifectively
pearance as a direct result of the above short
immobilized by means of this slight pressure. thus. 25 comings. ‘ These disadvantages of known eye
exerted ‘against them, thereby to protect any in.
pads and the consequent failure of said pads to
iured, diseased or surgically operated portion of
satisfactorily perform the functions desired of
the eyeball or other ocular structure from the
them because of the reasons mentioned, are due
to the fact that they are improperly designed.
undesired effects thereon which result from, un
restricted movement of the eyelids, while at the 30 The eye pad of my invention contemplates a
distinct improvement over previous eye pads be
same time providing a soft and porous element
cause it is so designed and constructed as to elim
for the absorption of secretions deriving, from
the, covered eye.
,
inate‘and overcome the above mentioned dis
To. accomplish this primary purpose satisfacadvantages. In my improved eye pad this is
torily during the usual but variable intervals be. 35 accomplished vby means of a constructional fea
ture that renders my eye pad resistant to phys
tween changes of the dressing, which are most,
often from three to six .hoursbut may be as long
ical forces tending to distort it out of shape, thus
as. from twelve to twenty-four hours, an eye pad
enabling my eye pad to effectuate, insure, and
must maintain its original shape, position and
secure for its user maximum performance of the
thickness; otherwise the pressure of the pad 40 functions and 'purposes sought in the employ
ment of such a pad. Because of this resistance
against the eyelids, which is necessary for im
to distortion resulting from my improved con
mobilization of these. parts, cannot be sustained
‘ struction my eye pad (a) satisfactorily maintains
continuously or in su?icient degree to insure this
its original shape during usage for as long as
desired restriction of. eyelid movement.
The eye pads of this, general character which. 45 several days, (12) does not get twisted out of its
original position in the orbital recession, (0)
have already been devised. andcused do not ac
maintains for a suflicient length of time the de
complish. this purpose satisfactorily because their,
sired immobilization of the eyelids because fac
improper construction, results in several disad
tors (a)'- and (b) preserve original thickness of
vantageous. features.‘ In. the ?rst place, presently
the pad and therefore maintain the original pres
known pads after being ?xed inposition over the 50 sure applied to the eyelids through the pad by the
orbital‘: area. readily lose their original shape ‘ ?xating strips of adhesive tape or other type of
within a few hours by‘ getting mussed. up from.
, ?xating means, (d) adequately retains its orig
the natural distorting effects of ordinary usage.
inal shape under manual handling incident to
Secondly, they easily get twisted out off their 55 usage and placement in'positi'on over the eye,
original position because of spreading and slip-v
page between the' opposing flat surfaces of the
thus assuring the user a pad which can be very
' easily and conveniently‘ ?xed in proper position,
2
2,365,032
.
gauze Ha which are connected along the entire
in the very beginning so as to secure maximum
performance of function, and (e)'retains a neat
temple edge of the pad by loose stitching IS. The
appearance during usage as a result of facts (a)
stitching should be of the character where the
and (b) and because it is properly shaped and
dimensioned for adaptation to the anatomical
in place to prevent unravelling.
conformation of the orbital area.
ends of the thread are tied or otherwise secured
In use, the'eye pad is placed over the orbital
recession with the eyelids closed and with the
nasal end l3 closely adjacent the nose of the Da
_
The particular feature of constructional design
embodied in the eye pad of my invention which
tient and the temple end 14 adjacent the temple
imparts to it the above features of functional
utility not now possessed by presently known eye 10 ‘between the brow and cheek bone of the patient.
pads, is the incorporation in its construction of a
- _ The pad is then taped in place by the use of usual
adhesive tape, one strip of tape being applied
across the temple end of the pad diagonally from
the brow bone to the cheek bone, another strip of
which reinforces the pad and renders it resistant
to torsional stresses without impairing its other 15 tape being applied across the nasal end of the pad
distortion-resisting connection between the op
posed outer retaining layers of sheeted material
diagonally from the brow bone to the cheek bone,
and a third strip of tape being applied horizon
tally from the bridge of the nose to the temple
area. The absorbent cotton 10 provides for ab
sorption of any eye secretions and is of a thick
ness to provide the desired pressure on the eyelids
Figure 1 is a plan view of an eye pad con
to maintain them closed.
structed in accordance with the instant invention
It will be apparent from the above description
with a part of the covering broken away.
that the provision of a reinforcing connection be
Figure 2 is a side view of the eye pad shown in
Figure 1.
25 tween the covering layers of the pad effectively
prevents distortion of the pad. The utility of the'
Figure 3 is a plan View of a modi?ed form of eye
reinforcing connection is further enhanced when
pad.
.
the pad is in place if located at the temple end.
Figure 4 is a side view of the eye pad shown in
In this way, the eye pad maintains itself in its
Figure 3'.
Figures 1 and 2 show in full size a. preferred 30 original shape, position and thickness so as to
exert for the required period of time the amount
form of eye pad embodying the instant invention,
of pressure necessary for the desired immobiliza
the pad comprising a layer ll] of a suitable ab
tion of the eyelids.
sorbent material such as the absorbent cotton
commonly employed for surgical purposes, which
I claim:
1. An eye pad for positioning in the orbital re
is interposed between opposite layers ll of per 35
cession of the eye of a patient, said pad compris
meable sheeted material, such as a coarse mesh
ing an inner layer of compressible absorbent ma
surgical gauze or other suitable material, which
necessary physical properties.
-
Other objects and advantages of the invention
will be apparent from the following description of
certain preferred embodiments, as illustrated in
the accompanying drawing, in which:
20
3 terial and outer layers of permeable sheeted mate
are co-extensive with the absorbent layer and
rial engaging the respective side surfacesjof said
serve as covering and retaining layers therefor.
The layers l l are provided with a reinforcing, dis 40 inner layer, said pad being shaped to provide a
rounded nasal end and a temple end of reduced
tortion-resisting connection I2 which extends be
width to lie between the brow and cheek bones of
tween the covering layers While leaving the major
portion of the peripheral edge of the absorbent
layer exposed. Connection I2 is preferably inte
grally formed with the gauze retaining layers ll
so that the retaining layers l l and the connecting
strip or end portion l2 are formed of the same
uninterrupted sheet of gauze.
As seen in Figure 1, the eye pad has a generally
oval contour with a rounded nasal end l3 and a
substantially straight-edged temple end M. The
major width dimension of the pad is closer to the
- a patient, and a reinforcing connection between
said outer layers at one end only of said pad, said
compressible absorbent material constituting the
sole means other than said reinforcing connection
capable of substantially resisting relative move
ment between said outer layers.
2. An eye pad for positioning in the orbital re
cession of the eye of a patient, said pad compris
ing an inner layer of compressible absorbent ma
terial and outer layers of a. permeable sheeted
material engaging the respective side surfaces of
erably the pad has its curvature slightly decreased 55 said inner layer, said outer layers being joined by
a connecting strip extending across a minor por
from the nasal end toward the temple end so that
tion only of the edge of said absorbent material
it tapers toward the temple end M. The width
with a major portion of said edge exposed, said
of the temple end 14 is preferably such as to lie
outer layers and said strip being formed integrally
between the greatest prominences of the brow
from the same uninterrupted sheet of material,
bone and the cheek bone so as to be adaptable to
the contour of the orbital area and facilitate 60 and said compressible absorbent material consti
tuting the sole means other than said connecting
proper application of the ?xating strips of adhe
strip capable of substantially resisting relative
sive tape. The reinforcing connection I2 is pref
movement between said outer layers.
erably located at the temple end of the eye pad,
3. An eye pad for positioning in the orbital re
i. e., at the portion of the pad which is least
cession of the eye of a patient, said pad compris
protected by bony orbital prominences. It will
ing an inner layer of absorbent material and outer
be noted that with the connection ii at the temple
layers of permeable material, said outer layers
end of the pad, the entire periphery of the pad
being connected together along a minor portion of
will be protected against scu?ing when applied to
.an eye, this protection being afforded in part by 70 the pad periphery, said outer layers being free and
unconnected along the major portion of the pad
the connection l2 and otherwise by bony promi
periphery, and the major portion of the periphery
nences around the orbital area.
of said absorbent material layer being free from
-Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a modi?ed construc
peripheral con?nement by said outer layers.
tion in which the layer of absorbent cotton H! is
nasal end l3 than to the temple end l4 and pref
placed between two covering layers of surgical
HALL WELDON WILKINSON.