AU2014259541A1 - Method for administering eye drops - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract The present invention relates to methods for dispensing liquid medicines. In particular, the present invention relates to methods for administering eye drops to an eye.

Description

- 1 Method for administering eye drops Field of the invention [0001] The present invention relates to methods for dispensing liquid medicines. In particular, the present invention relates to methods for administering eye drops to an eye. Background of the invention [0002] Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field. [0003] Eye disorders or conditions can range from those that would be considered mild eg. temporary dry eyes due to extended wear of contact lenses, to very serious eg. cancer. [0004] The administration of eye drops is widely used in the treatment of eye disorders/conditions. [0005] Eye drops are widely used to treat irritation and redness of the eyes. Such symptoms have many causes including allergy, infection, dryness of the eye and eye damage. Treatment of such symptoms may require only short-term administration of eye drops eg. for a period of one to 5 days. [0006] More severe conditions affecting the eye include age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, Bell's Palsy, corneal ulcer, blepharitis and cataract. Patients suffering from such conditions often require regular administration of eye drops, which may include prescribed drugs. For these severe cases, treatment may also require surgery. It is not uncommon in such cases for a user to require administration of the contents of several eye drop bottles each month in order to effectively treat the condition and/or recover from surgery. [0007] When administering eye drops, it is important that the tip of the eye drop bottle is positioned steadily above the eye. It is desirable to position the tip of the bottle close to the eye to enable accurate dispensing of the drop into the eye. To avoid injuring the eye, it is important that the tip itself does not touch the eye.

-2 [0008] The accurate dispensing of eye drops into the eye is made difficult by the poor ability of the user to focus on the eye drop dispenser during administration. This can result in the patient touching the eye with the eye drop dispenser and causing discomfort or even damage to the eye. It can also result in the drops being dispensed in an area outside the eye and the liquid running down the face of the user. Further attempts to dispense the drops into the eye will therefore be required in order to deliver the treatment. This can lead to frustration for the patient and, in some instances, ultimately non-compliance with the treatment regime due to the difficulty in administering the drops. [0009] For those who wear cosmetics, inaccurate dispensing of eye drops such that they run down the face of the patient can result in make-up, particularly mascara, "running". [0010] Some patients requiring eye drops may shake their hand during administration. This is a problem that arises particularly in the elderly. Shaking by the user during administration of eye drops can result in the drops not entering the eye or only part of the drop entering the eye. In some instances the drops run down the face of the individual and are wasted. Again, compliance can therefore be an issue for those who have disorders that result in shaking, eg. Parkinsons disease. [0011] Inaccurate dispensing of eye drops leads to wastage. As such, more liquid is required to be provided to the patient than is necessary for treatment of the condition. This can result in the patient requiring additional eye drop bottles with a consequent unnecessary financial burden (and inconvenience due to the need to revisit the pharmacy). [0012] Wastage is also problematic for Government bodies (eg. In Australia the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) and medical insurance companies who fund treatments. If eye drops can be applied in the right place and in the correct amount Government funding would be reduced and savings could be made by insurance companies. [0013] Dosage regimes for eye drops are often prescribed to patients suffering from an eye condition in units of drop-number. Wastage, through inaccurate dispensation of eye drops, can lead to inaccurate dosing by patients who self-administer eye drops leading to improper treatment of the eye condition. In a worst case scenario, this can lead to an increase in the severity of the condition and, hence, to further costs to the patient/funding bodies.

-3 [0014] One method that patients use to reduce wastage of eye drops is to enlist the services of another person such as a family member or friend to administer the drops. This is inconvenient as it can lead to the patient becoming dependent on a second person to administer the drops. It can be very restrictive on the family member's or friend's movements as they must be present at the time the drops are administered. [0015] To more accurately dispense eye drops, patients sometimes place a second hand against the bottle thereby to provide greater stability. This technique is unreliable as the second hand may itself be unsteady. Further, patients will often require their second hand to open their eyelid during dispensing of the eye drop. [0016] Attempts have been made by others to address the issue of inaccurate dispensing of eye drops. For example, US Patent 3,521,636 describes an eye drop container comprising a well portion for holding the liquid to be dispensed and a stabilising piece which protrudes from the container at a length approximately equal with the height of the dispensing tip. The user places the stabilising piece on the nose, eyebrow or cheek while dispensing the eye drops into their eye. This device is bulky and is less portable than conventional eye drop bottles. Further, this device requires modifications to be made to existing eye drop bottles. [0017] US Patent 2,722,216 describes an attachment in the form of a supporting bridge or yoke to assist in the accurate dispensing of an eye drop. This invention also requires a separate device and/or modification of existing eye drop dispensers in order to achieve an effect. [0018] Other devices that attempt to address the difficulties associated with dispensing of eye drops are typically in the form of a container designed to receive a conventional eye drop bottle. One such device has been marketed under the name of Opticare@. This device increases the area with which the user may grip the bottle thereby providing a more stable grip. The device is placed against the rim of the eye while the drops are administered. European Patent Number 0335513 discloses a gripping device for an eye drop bottle consisting of two handles that offer greater stability for the user. These devices add bulk to a conventional eye drop bottle and are therefore less portable than the bottle itself. Being separable from the eye drop bottle, these devices are also easily lost. Further, these devices incur an additional expense on the user who must purchase the device in addition to the eye drop bottle.

-4 [0019] There is a need for a method of accurately dispensing eye drops from an eye drop bottle into the eye without requiring modifications to the design of the bottle and which may be carried out by the patient without the need for additional devices or a person to assist with dispensing the drops. [0020] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative. Summary of the invention [0021] Surprisingly, it has been found that resting a standard eye drop dispensing bottle on the nose of a patient and tilting the head of the patient so that the tip of the dispenser is positioned above the eye provides the required stability and position to allow for the accurate dispensing of eye drops into the eye of the patient. This simple but very effective method means that accurate dispensing can be achieved without the need to modify existing eye drop bottles or to the need to attach any device to the dispenser or the subject. [0022] Accordingly, in a first aspect the invention provides a method for dispensing liquid into the eye of a subject said method comprising the steps of: providing a container said container comprising a liquid storage means in fluid communication with a liquid exit means; holding said container with at least one hand; resting said container on the nose of said subject and tilting the head of said subject to the rear such that said liquid exit means is positioned above said eye; and dispensing at least one drop of said liquid into said eye. [0023] Preferably, the method further comprises the step of using a second hand to separate the upper and lower lids of said eye. [0024] Preferably, the container is an eye drop bottle. [0025] Preferably, the eye drop bottle comprises a body and a neck.

-5 [0026] Preferably, the neck rests on said nose. More preferably, the neck rests on the bridge of said nose. [0027] Preferably, the liquid exit means is an aperture at the end of a teat portion that extends from the neck. [0028] Preferably, the eye drop has a volume between 5 and 200uL. More preferably, the eye drop has a volume between 20 and 80uL. Most preferably, the eye drop has a volume of about 5OuL. [0029] Preferably, dispensing is achieved by applying pressure to the liquid storage means. [0030] Preferably, the container does not include a supporting bridge or yoke. More preferably, the container is a standard eye drop container. [0031] In a second aspect, the invention provides a method of treating an eye condition or disorder in a subject, the method comprising the steps of providing a container said container comprising a liquid storage portion, a neck portion, a teat portion and an exit through which the liquid can be dispensed; resting said container on the bridge of the nose of said subject and tilting the subject's head such that said exit is positioned above said eye; and dispensing at least one drop of said liquid into said eye. [0032] In a third aspect, the invention provides a container when used in a method according to any one of the preceding embodiments [0033] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words "comprise", "comprising", and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to". [0034] The term "eye drop bottle" refers to a container designed to store and dispense eye drops into the eye. The container can take several forms and typically includes a body defining a liquid storage means at one end and a liquid exit means at the other. The exit -6 means is typically located on the tip of the bottle. The tip is typically separated from the body by a neck and a teat. [0035] The term "eye drop" refers to the liquid that is administered to the eye of a subject. The eye drop may contain any suitable medicament. Typically, the eye drop is a saline solution that is dispensed from an eye drop bottle. The eye drop may contain any suitable active ingredient. The volume of an eye drop can be of any suitable size and it is well within the competence of the skilled addressee to determine an appropriate size. Typically the volume of the eye drop will be in the range from 5 microlitres to 200 microliters. [0036] The term "bridge", with reference to a nose, refers to the upper part of the nose, distal with respect to the nostril openings. The bridge of the nose typically includes the bony part of the nose. The bridge may be raised relative to the plane of the eyes (as, for example, is typically the case in Caucasians) or may be in a similar or the same plane as the eyes (as, for example, may be the case in non-Caucasians such as those of Asian or African origin). Brief description of the drawings [0037] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a subject self-administering eye drops according to the invention. [0038] Figure 2 is a side of the patient showing the application of an eye drop to the subject's eye. Detailed description of the invention [0039] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. [0040] Referring to the drawings, there is provided a container in the form of an eye drop bottle 1. The eye drop bottle 1 includes a body 2 defining a liquid storage means which is in fluid communication with a neck 3, a teat 4 and a tip 5. The tip 5 includes an exit means in the form of an aperture 6 through which an eye drop 7 may be dispensed. [0041] To apply the method of the invention, the subject grips the bottle 1 with a least one hand. Preferably the subject grips the body 2 with one hand 8. The subject then rests the bottle 1 on the subject's nose 9. Preferably, the subject rests the neck 3 on the bridge of the nose 10.

-7 The subject's head is tilted backwards such that the aperture 6 at the end of the teat 4 is positioned above the subject's eye 11. Optionally, the user may use a second hand to separate the eyelids of the eye 11. The user applies a squeezing pressure to the body 2 thereby administering an eye drop 7 to the eye 11. [0042] It will be appreciated that the method provides a means for accurately dispensing eye drops from an eye drop bottle into the eye which does not require modifications to the design of the bottle and can be readily performed by the patient. Of course, a practitioner or family member can also administer eye drops to a patient using the same technique. It will also be appreciated that the invention does not require additional devices to be used with the eye drop bottle. [0043] Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims (14)

1. A method for dispensing liquid into the eye of a subject said method comprising the steps of: providing a container said container comprising a liquid storage means in fluid communication with a liquid exit means; holding said container with at least one hand; resting said container on the nose of said subject and tilting the head of said subject to the rear such that said liquid exit means is positioned above said eye; and dispensing at least one drop of said liquid into said eye.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of using a second hand to separate the upper and lower lids of said eye.

3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said container is an eye drop bottle.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said eye drop bottle comprises a body and a neck.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said neck rests on said nose.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein said neck rests on the bridge of said nose.

7. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein the liquid exit means is an aperture at the end of a teat portion that extends from the neck.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said drop is between 5 and 200uL.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said drop is between 20 and 80uL. -9

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said drop is about 5OuL.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said dispensing is achieved by applying pressure to the liquid storage means.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the container does not include a supporting bridge or yoke.

13. A method of treating an eye condition or disorder in a subject, the method comprising the steps of: providing a container said container comprising a liquid storage portion, a neck portion, a teat portion and an exit through which the liquid can be dispensed; resting said container on the bridge of the nose of said subject and tilting the subject's head such that said exit is positioned above said eye; and dispensing at least one drop of said liquid into said eye.

14. A container when used in a method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.