Patent ID: 9474487
Filing Date: 2016-10-25
CPC Classification: A61B,A61F

Claim Text:
1. A method of determining intraocular pressure in a human or veterinary patient, said method comprising the steps of: (A) implanting within the eye an optical pressure sensor that comprises a Fabry-Perot interferometer having two parallel optical reflecting surfaces with an optical reflecting cavity therebetween, wherein one of the optical reflecting surfaces comprises a pressure-sensitive diaphragm that is in contact with intraocular fluid such that the pressure-sensitive diaphragm moves relative to changes in the intraocular pressure of the eye thereby causing the depth of the optical reflecting cavity to vary relative to changes in the intraocular pressure; (B) positioning a receiver/processor, which comprises an optical spectrum analyzer, at a location in front of the eye; (C) using a light source to cast emitted light at a plurality of wavelengths through the intact cornea of the eye such that the emitted light enters the optical reflecting cavity and reflected light then reflects from the optical reflecting cavity and travels, free of any waveguide, outwardly through the intact cornea and to the receiver/processor positioned in front of the eye; and, (D) using the optical spectrum analyzer to ratiometrically measure reflectance spectra of the reflected light at said plurality of wavelengths and to obtain, on the basis of said ratiometric measurement, an indication of current intraocular pressure.