Technical Field

Present invention relates to an electromagnetic stimulator, more particularly an electromagnetic stimulator for treating ocular diseases, especially for degenerative, ischemic retinal diseases and optic nerve diseases. Background

Stimulating the retina and nerve fibers is a broadly accepted therapy for treating macular degeneration. In the background of the art there are some methods and apparatus for providing stimulation therapy by micro currents. In micro current stimulation therapy, micro current signals at particular frequencies are applied to the eye of a patient suffers from an ocular disease for particular periods of time. The application of micro current signals to the eye is provided by an electrical circuitry generating the micro current signals at a particular carrier frequency and a conductor one end of which is coupled to the electrical circuitry and other end of which is configured to contact with eye, more particularly with eyeball, so as to apply the micro currents. However, there are several deficiencies arising from the nature of the micro current application explained below;

• The micro current stimulation therapy is restricted to the area on the eye where the micro current passes. For this reason, therapeutic effect of micro current stimulation is limited for degenerative diseases.

• Since there is an inevitable contact between the conductor and the eye, irritation on the eye, xerophthalmia corneal ulcer and epithelial defect and infection risk may occur.

• The conductor is needed to be disposable since it will be in direct contact with the eye tissue susceptible to be infected. Thus, in each session of the micro current stimulation therapy the patient should change the conductor with new one which leads patient to spent considerable amount of money. Since there is a need for direct contact of the conductor to the eye tissue, the micro current stimulation therapy should be administered under supervision of a medical person. The objective of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic stimulator for treating ocular diseases where the patient can administer a stimulation therapy by the invention without supervision of a medical person, wherein there is no direct contact to eye tissue which can cause an infection. Moreover, the application of the stimulation therapy covers whole eye ball rather than particular area of it thus therapy period is reduced and faulty administrations are prevented. Another objective of the present invention is to stimulate the occipital cortex to for treating ischemic retinal diseases and optic nerve diseases.

Brief Description of the Drawings

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings to be more easily understood and uses thereof will be more readily apparent when considered in view of the detailed description, in which like reference numbers indicate the same or similar elements, and the following figures in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Electromagnetic stimulator

2. Headwear

3. Electronic circuitry

4. Electromagnet

5. Enclosure

6. Position adjustment apparatus

7. Indicator lights

8. Conductor 9. Battery

10. Display

11. On/off switch

12. Speaker

13. BUS port

14. Power jack

Detailed Description An electromagnetic stimulator (1) for treating ocular diseases comprises a headwear (2); an electronic circuitry (3) with control interface coupled to the headwear (1); at least two electromagnets (4) provided on front end of the headwear (1) each of which is configured and oriented for applying magnetic field to patient' s each eye when the headwear (1) is worn. A non-limiting example for electromagnets (4) is a field coil.

In one embodiment of the present invention, electromagnetic stimulator (1) also comprises at least one electromagnet (4) provided on rear end of the headwear (1), configured and oriented for applying magnetic field to patient's occipital cortex when the headwear (1) is worn.

In one embodiment, applicable for all embodiments of the present invention, electromagnets (4) are housed by an open enclosure (5) for routing and shielding magnetic field. The enclosure (5) is preferably in a form of a hexagonal and/or made by a metal or made by any material where inside of the enclosure (5) is coated with a metallic ink or similar material.

In one embodiment, applicable for all embodiments of the present invention, electromagnets (4) may be mounted to the headwear (1) by a position adjustment apparatus (6). In a non-limiting example of position adjustment apparatus (6) situated on front end of the headwear (1), position adjustment apparatus (6) comprises a nose pads and nose pad arms providing adjustment for electromagnet (4) orientation by being bended. The adjustment apparatus (6) are provided especially for the embodiments comprising electromagnet (4) for applying magnetic field to patient's occipital cortex. In a non-limiting example of adjustment apparatus (6) situated on rear end of the headwear (1), mentioned adjustment apparatus (6) comprises at least a slider (movable horizontally and/or vertically (up/down and/or left/right)) and a fixing means for locking the position of electromagnets (4).

In one embodiment, applicable for all embodiments of the present invention, the headwear (1) may comprise adjustable headband for proper fitting for patients head such as strip ratchet headband. The adjustable headband facilitates orienting the magnetic field.

In one embodiment, applicable for all embodiments of the present invention, the electromagnetic stimulator (1) may comprise indicator lights (7) for each electromagnets (4) indicating whether the electromagnets (4) is activate or not.

The headwear (1) and electrical circuitry (3) may be electrically coupled by a conductor (8) such as a cable (preferably a medical cable) or by wireless communication means such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. The conductor (8) may be detachable to the headwear (1) and/or the electrical circuitry (3) via a conductor port on the headwear (1) and/or the electrical circuitry (3).

The electrical circuitry (3) is configured to activate selected electromagnets (4) in a selected frequency, intensity, and/or period. In one embodiment, applicable for all embodiments of the present invention, the headwear (1) may comprise an on/off switch (11), a power port for power jack (14) or power jack (14) and/or rechargeable batteries (9) and/or an electrical fuse.

In one embodiment, applicable for all embodiments of the present invention, the electric circuitry (3) may comprise a display (10) (such as LCD, preferably a touch display (10)), a BUS port (13) for data transfer (such as USB), an on/off switch (11), a power port for power jack (14) or power jack (14), rechargeable batteries (9) and/or an electrical fuse and/or control knobs.

In preferred embodiment, applicable for all embodiments of the present invention, the headwear (1) and/or the headband and/or the open enclosure (5) and/or the conductor (8) or any feature of the electromagnetic stimulator (1) may be made by a non- combustible/fireproof materials and/or medical-grade materials.

In one embodiment, applicable for all embodiments of the present invention, the headwear (1) or electric circuitry (3) may comprise a speaker (12) (or headphone for headwear (1)) for auditorily informing the therapy status such as starting, ending of the therapy and/or remaining therapy time. Since the electromagnetic stimulator (1) is for the patients suffering from an ocular disease, it is important to inform the patient auditorily which helps the patient who cannot see the status of the therapy from the display (10) to be aware about the status of the therapy. The speaker (12) or headphone may also be used for listening music during the therapy. Music data may be read from an internal memory or a memory plugged to the BUS port (13).

In preferred embodiment of the present invention, the settings of the electromagnetic stimulator (1) such as selection of the electromagnets (4) which will be active and selection of the frequency, intensity, and/or period of magnetic field generated by each electromagnet (4) can be controlled via the control interface of electronic circuitry (3) such as control knobs and the display (10) or by the touch display (10). Since one objective of the present invention is to prevent faulty administration of the therapy, preferably change in the settings of the electromagnetic stimulator (1) are allowed only if an authentication has been granted. Non-limiting examples for authentication are password, fingerprint verification, eye-face recognition. In preferred embodiment of the present invention, doctors who know the password shall only be granted to acquire to change the mentioned settings. In this way, the patients are not able to alter the setting and thus they are directly prevented from faulty administration of the therapy in the meaning of applied frequency, intensity, and/or period of magnetic field. The settings can also be transmitted via a readable/writable memory through the BUS port (13). When the memory having selected settings information configured by a doctor is plugged to the BUS port (13), the authentication is requested. After grating the authentication, the selected settings will be automatically entered to the electromagnetic stimulator (1). On the other hand, while a memory is plugged to the BUS port (13), if the doctor changes the setting of the electromagnetic stimulator (1), the mentioned changed setting information is automatically written to the mentioned memory by way of sending a writing command of electronic circuitry (3). Thus, the doctor can easily enter the same settings to another electromagnetic stimulator (1) which is need for another patient.