JP2001061784A - Ocular axial length measurement attachment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily hold an ultrasonic medium in a liquid or gelatinous form in order to execute immersion measurement (hereafter the immersion measurement) which interposes the ultrasonic medium between the front end of a probe of an axial length measurement instrument an the cornea and makes measurement by parting the cornea and the probe. SOLUTION: The ocular axial length measurement attachment is an object to hold the ultrasonic medium 3 by utilizing surface tension by means of the cylindrical, receiving tray-like or recessed surface shape or plural pawl-shaped projecting parts of the ocular axial length measurement attachment. The shape of the ocular axial length measurement attachment has a mounting part made to comply with the shape of the probe at the front end of the probe 1. Also, the attachment has the cylindrical, receiving tray-like or recessed surface shape or plural pawl-shaped projecting parts so as to protrude from the front end of the probe and holds the ultrasonic medium 3 in the liquid or gelatinous form in these portions. The probe mounting portion of the axial length measurement attachment is formed to a bag form and the front end of the probe and the ocular axial length measurement attachment have the shapes made to comply with the front end of the probe in such a manner that both are acoustically connected, by which contamination may be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an immersion measurement in which a liquid or gel-like ultrasonic medium is interposed between the tip of a probe and a cornea, particularly in an axial length measurement performed as a preoperative examination in cataract surgery. When performing an immersion measurement), the ultrasonic medium can be easily held and interposed,
The present invention also relates to an attachment for measuring an axial length, which can have a role of preventing infection by forming a bag-like shape.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a preoperative examination for cataract, measurement of the axial length of an eye using ultrasonic waves is generally performed. The distance from the cornea to the retina is the axial length. In the measurement of the axial length by ultrasonic waves, it is common to measure by bringing the probe into contact with the cornea.However, errors in the axial length measurement due to pressure on the cornea due to the contact of the probe and the waveform from the transducer in the probe may cause The waveform is hidden, and the measurement error of the axial length due to the inability to detect the corneal echo cannot be eliminated. Further, since the tip of the probe comes into contact with the cornea, there is a problem of contamination of the probe.

On the other hand, a water immersion method in which a cylindrical object is brought into close contact with the eyeball of a patient in a supine position or a peripheral portion of the eyeball and filled with a saline solution and the like to form an aquarium and perform immersion measurement is newly added to each measurement. A water tank must be created, which is inconvenient and the measurement is performed in a supine position, which imposes a heavy burden on the patient. Further, it is difficult to determine the position of the tip of the probe, and it is difficult to direct the ultrasonic beam at an appropriate angle.

In the measurement by the cap apparatus for an ultrasonic eye axial length measuring apparatus described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-51442, immersion measurement can be performed by sitting. However, the lid at the tip of the cap directly contacts the cornea to remove the cornea. There is a risk of pressure.

A rubber bag is attached to the tip of the probe,
Some contain water as an ultrasonic medium. Although there is no problem due to the above-mentioned initial echo and corneal compression, the waveform of the echo from the rubber bag interposed between the ultrasonic medium and the cornea overlaps the waveform of the corneal echo, and the corneal echo cannot be detected, resulting in a measurement error.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for easily measuring a liquid or gel-like ultrasonic medium between an eye axial length measurement attachment attached to the tip of a probe and a cornea in an immersion measurement of an ultrasonic eye axial length measuring apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of eliminating an ocular axial length measurement error caused by the fact that the pressure on the cornea and the waveform of the corneal echo cannot be detected by intervening.

[0007] In order to prevent infection, the sterilization of the probe itself has not been generally performed because of the possibility of damage. It is desirable to prepare a dedicated probe for an infectious disease patient, but it is costly. An object of the present invention is not only to interpose an ultrasonic medium between the probe tip and the cornea, but also to enable easy disposable or sterilization treatment as an ocular axial length attachment having a bag shape surrounding the probe tip. .

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided an eye axial length measuring attachment according to the present invention, which has a cylindrical shape or a shape which can be easily attached to the probe shaft at the tip of the probe. The gist of the present invention is to have an attached portion.

Further, the portion beyond the tip of the probe has a cylindrical, saucer-shaped, concave-shaped, or a plurality of claw-shaped protruding portions, and a liquid or gel-like ultrasonic medium is held in this portion by its surface tension. The gist of this is

[0010] Further, by making the attachment portion of the eye axial length measurement attachment to the probe into a bag shape, it becomes possible to enclose the tip of the eye axial length probe. By molding with a material such as latex or silicon rubber, the contact portion with the probe tip is formed into a thin film of 0.2 mm or less to minimize the attenuation of ultrasonic waves. The protruding portion beyond that is also integrally formed.

[0011] Further, molding is performed by a dipping method often used in molding of latex or the like to make the claw-shaped protruding portion hollow.

[0012]

According to the eye axial length measuring attachment having the above-mentioned structure, the above protruding portion is approximately 0.5 mm depending on the viscosity of the ultrasonic medium.
It is possible to hold the ultrasonic medium in a state of being separated from the cornea by about 2 mm to 2 mm without dripping. The immersion measurement can be performed by interposing the ultrasonic medium at a distance of 2 mm or more between the probe tip and the cornea. Make it possible.

[0013] Further, since the cornea is not pressed, the measurement error can be kept small.

Further, by making the attachment portion of the eye axial length measurement attachment to the probe into a bag shape, the effect of preventing contamination of the eye axial length probe can be obtained, and infection can be prevented.

The cost can be suppressed by making the claw-shaped protruding portion hollow and performing molding by a dipping method of latex or the like.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an attachment for measuring an axial length of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, a cylindrical attachment 2 is attached, which is a cylindrical eye axial length measuring attachment adapted to the taper at the tip of the probe 1. The distance from the tip of the probe 1 to the tip of the cylindrical attachment 2 is about 2 mm, and the portion and further the cornea 4 are filled with the liquid or gel ultrasonic medium 3. If a special contact lens corneal attachment aid containing hydroxyethyl cellulose as a main component is used as the ultrasonic medium, the interval between the cylindrical attachment 2 and the cornea 4 can be set to about 1 mm due to its viscosity and surface tension.

In FIG. 2, a saucer-shaped attachment 5, which is an eye axial length measuring attachment having a saucer-shaped ultrasonic medium holding portion, is attached to the tip of the probe 1. In the case of a saucer shape, the ultrasonic medium 3 can be easily added later.

In FIG. 3, a probe 1 has a concave attachment 6 which is an eye axial length measurement attachment having a concave shape. A gel or the like is applied between the concave attachment 6 and the tip of the probe 1 so as to be acoustically firmly connected. In this case, the probe tip is wrapped and there is no risk of contamination.

FIG. 4 shows a bag-shaped eye axial length measurement attachment having four claw-shaped protrusions, and the inside of the protrusion is also hollow. Even in this shape, the tip of the probe is not contaminated and has a shape that can be manufactured from a material such as latex.

FIG. 5 shows an eye-length measuring attachment having a claw-shaped protruding portion, which can be used by directly attaching to the probe, or by covering the probe with a latex cover for preventing infection, and measuring the eye-length from above. It is also possible to attach an attachment.

[0022]

As is clear from the above description, the eye axial length measuring attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention can easily be placed between the cornea and the probe tip in the immersion measurement in which the cornea and the probe are separated from each other. It can hold the sonic medium and does not compress the cornea.

Further, since the structure is simple and can be manufactured at a low cost, the bag-shaped eye axis length measuring attachment can be disposable or sterilized without any risk of contamination at the probe tip, thereby preventing infection. Help.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a structure of an eye axial length measurement attachment as one embodiment of the present invention, and showing a use form thereof.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a structure of an eye axial length measuring attachment as one embodiment of the present invention, and showing a usage pattern thereof.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a structure of an eye axial length measurement attachment as one embodiment of the present invention, and showing a usage pattern thereof.

FIG. 4 is a view schematically showing a structure of an eye axial length measurement attachment as one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a structure of an eye axial length measurement attachment as one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 probe 2 cylindrical attachment 3 ultrasonic medium 4 cornea 5 saucer attachment 6 concave attachment 7 and 8 nail attachment

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An axial length measuring attachment attached to a probe distal end of an eye axial length measuring device using an ultrasonic A-scan, a tubular attachment (2) surrounding a probe distal end, a tray-shaped attachment (5), a concave-shaped attachment. (6) An eye axial length measurement attachment characterized by holding a liquid or gel-like ultrasonic medium in a shape having protrusions of a plurality of nail-like attachments (7, 8). 2. The eye axial length measurement attachment according to claim 1, wherein the probe is wrapped in a bag shape in the eye axial length measurement attachment according to claim 1, and the tip of the probe and the attachment have a shape in which the attachment is acoustically sure.