Abstract:
Protective eye shades for an infant comprising an outer sheath having two enlarged, oval segments connected by a narrower segment comprising a nose bridge and resilient eye rims secured to the enlarged oval segments and projecting from the outer sheath. The outer sheath may be secured over the infant&#39;s face using structure selected from the group consisting of adhesives, hydrocolloids, gels, nets and straps. A preferred bonnet structure for securing the eye shades is also disclosed, the bonnet structure being removably securable to the eye shades using engagement of hook and loop fabric, one of the hook and loop being carried by the eye shades and the other of the hook and loop being carried by the bonnet structure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to eye shades for infants and, most particularly, to infant eye shades that simultaneously preclude exposure of the eyes of an infant to harmful light while substantially eliminating ocular pressure. 
     2. State of the Art 
     Certain medical treatments can be harmful to the eyes. For example, children born with jaundice have yellow-colored skin due to the presence of high amounts of bilirubin in the blood. Traditional treatment consists of phototherapy in the form of prolonged exposure to high doses of light, and specifically blue light of 425-470 nm wavelength. While light exposure accelerates the removal of excess bilirubin from the infant&#39;s body, it can be harmful to the infant&#39;s eyes, especially in the high dosages currently employed. 
     Ultraviolet light, which is usually incidentally emitted, is known to induce keratitis, conjunctivitis, or lens opacities. Wavelengths of visible light, for example, the broad wavelength range of 400-780 nm including the aforementioned blue light range, and near infrared (780-1400 nm), are known to cause photothermal damage at high levels of irradiance. It has also been suggested that exposure of preterm infants&#39; eyes to even ambient light of high intensity may increase the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity by increasing the toxic effects of oxygen. 
     Therefore, masks shaped to generally cover the eyes are used during treatment in an attempt to eliminate or reduce the amount of light to the infant&#39;s eyes. Many conventional masks are designed to seal light out by cinching a flat, fabric-like covering against the eye. Examples of this approach to infant mask design are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,411,263, 4,502,476, 4,644,588, and 5,613,502. As may be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, snug conformance of the mask material to the infant&#39;s head will place direct pressure on the eyeball and eyelid, while a loose-fitting mask leaks light about its periphery and may pose the hazard of occluding the infant&#39;s nostrils if slippage of the mask occurs. Thus, existing masks may be uncomfortable because they do not allow the eyelid to move normally and, more significantly, they may cause increased ocular pressure. Further, existing flat mask designs often leak from the side and therefore do not adequately protect the infant&#39;s eyes from light. Finally, it has been discovered by the inventor herein that many conventional masks undesirably leak light through the mask material as well. 
     Thus, it would be advantageous to provide an infant eye shade that does not place direct pressure on the eyeball and eyelid while providing an effective light seal, substantially avoiding ocular pressure and permitting the eyelids to move freely. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An infant eye shade comprising an outer sheath configured as laterally adjacent, generally oval eye cover segments linked by a narrow segment comprising a nose bridge and having tabs flanking the laterally outer edges thereof. Eye rims formed of resilient material of substantial depth or thickness and comprising a border of substantial width about central apertures are adhered to the outer sheath at locations of the oval eye cover segments so that the central apertures are each located over an infant&#39;s eye when the eye shades are placed on the infant&#39;s head. The eye rims raise the outer sheath material above and out of substantial contact with the infant&#39;s eyes, providing chambers to facilitate free and normal movement of the eyes and eyelids located thereunder. The resilient rim material, in combination with the substantial border width of each eye rim, forms a substantially light-tight seal against the infant&#39;s skull surrounding the orbit, or eye socket, when the eye shades are secured over an infant&#39;s face, at least partially compressing the resilient rim material. 
     The eye shades of the present invention may be sized and configured for use with premature infants as well as normal term infants of varying sizes. Both the outer sheath and eye rim are fabricated from materials substantially opaque to electromagnetic radiation at least in the form of light wavelengths which may be harmful to an infant&#39;s eyes. 
     The eye shades of the present invention may be secured to an infant&#39;s head by a variety of techniques known in the art, including without limitation adhesives, hydrocolloids, gels, nets, straps, or combinations thereof. One exemplary structure for securing the eye shades of the present invention comprises a strap-style bonnet structure which includes an enlarged, central element configured to enhance conformance to an infant&#39;s head shape and having straps extending laterally therefrom for respective connection to the tabs of the outer sheath. The strap-style bonnet may be formed of a foam-type material which is both comfortable for the infant and which tends to grip the infant&#39;s head to reduce any tendency for slippage as the infant moves. The strap-style bonnet, in combination with the eye shades of the invention, is also contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a frontal elevation of a first embodiment of the eye shades of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the first embodiment; 
     FIG. 3 is a frontal elevation of an eye rim employed with the first embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a frontal elevation of a second embodiment of the eye shades of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the second embodiment; 
     FIG. 6 is a frontal elevation of an eye rim employed with the second embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a frontal elevation of a bonnet usable with the first and second embodiments of the invention for securing same to the head of an infant; and 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of an infant wearing eye shades according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 to  3  illustrate a first embodiment  100  of the eye shades of the present invention suitable for use with relatively larger infants, wherein a one-piece, die-cut outer sheath  102  is configured as two generally oval, enlarged eye cover segments  104  linked by a narrower segment comprising nose bridge  106  and having tabs  108  flanking the laterally outer edges thereof Each tab  108  includes a segment  110  of a hook component of a hook-and-loop fabric fastening system adhered to tab  108  at, for example, ends of the segment, preferably by a hypoallergenic adhesive. Velcro® HTH 833 white hook fabric is a suitable fabric, the purpose of which will be explained hereafter in conjunction with FIG. 7 of the drawings. 
     Outer sheath  102  is formed of a relatively thin material which is soft, opaque to ultraviolet radiation and flexible. By way of example only, a suitable material is a five layer Velcro® brand Veltex® laminate comprising 3900 purple loop fabric, 0.090 inch thick ester charcoal foam, white nonwoven fabric, 0.090 inch thick ester charcoal foam and 3900 black loop fabric. The white, nonwoven fabric of the outer sheath laminate has been found by the inventor herein to be essentially opaque to light in the potentially damaging wavelengths. 
     Generally oval, or egg-shaped, mirror-image eye rims  112  are adhered to the inner backing of outer sheath  102  over eye cover segments  104  with a hypoallergenic adhesive such as Avery #445 hypoallergenic laminating adhesive and comprise a Velcro® brand laminate of 0.260 inch thick ester foam to Ortho-wick® brand antique gray loop fabric, the eye rims  112  being placed on the outer sheath  102  with the loop material placed on the outside, exposed surface of eye rims  112  which will lie adjacent the infant&#39;s face to prevent abrasion thereof. The upper and lower borders of eye rims  112  are substantially coincident with the top and bottom peripheries of outer sheath  102 , the locations of eye rims  112  on outer sheath  102  being shown in broken lines in FIG.  1 . Each eye rim  112  is sized and configured to lie adjacent an infant&#39;s skull surrounding the orbits, or eye sockets, and maintain outer sheath  102  raised above the eyes and eyelids of the infant located within central apertures  114 . Further, eye rims  112  are resilient and have a sufficient border width between their outer peripheries  116  and inner peripheries  118  to conform to the topography of the infant&#39;s skull and establish a light-tight seal around central apertures  114  while, due to the substantial thickness of eye rims  112 , suspending outer sheath  102  above the infant&#39;s eyes and eyelids. Thus, the outer sheath  102 , in combination with eye rims  112 , defines two chambers  120 , one over each of an infant&#39;s eyes when placed on the infant&#39;s head. Referencing FIG. 3, it is noteworthy that the border of each eye rim  112  is thinner along an inner lateral periphery  124  which lies adjacent an infant&#39;s nose than at the upper periphery  126 , lower periphery  128  and outer lateral periphery  130 , where facial skull variances among infants indicate the use of a wider border. Oblique inner periphery  132  lying between inner lateral periphery  124  and lower periphery  128  includes a border of gradually increasing width. Likewise, the border increases in width from the laterally inner extent of upper periphery  126  in a laterally outward (away from nose bridge  106 ) direction. It is also notable that both inner periphery  118  and outer periphery  116  of eye rim  112  are smooth and defined by a combination of short linear segments in combination with arcuate (preferably radiused) segments to promote maximum flexibility and conformance of the resilient material of eye rim  112  to an infant&#39;s skull while precluding wrinkling and folding which might undesirably result in a light leak. 
     A variety of sizes of eye shades may be employed, as required. The inventor contemplates that three sizes of eye shades may suffice to fit, respectively, preterm infants, most normal term infants, and larger infants. By way of example only, the eye shades of the present invention may, in combination with appropriately sized bonnets  300  as subsequently described herein with respect to FIG. 7, be sized to fit preterm infants with a head circumference of &lt;11 inches (28 cm), smaller infants with a head circumference of 11-13.4 inches (28-34 cm), and larger infants with a head circumference of &gt;13.4 inches (34 cm). 
     FIGS. 4 to  6  illustrate a second embodiment  200  of the eye shades of the present invention, embodiment  200  being suitable for use with relatively smaller infants, such as the aforementioned preterm infants, also sometimes referred to as “preemies”. Eye shades  200  are configured similarly to eye shades  100 , and features and elements corresponding to those of FIGS. 1 to  3  are identified in FIGS. 4 to  6  with the same reference numerals. Similarly, the exemplary materials respectively disclosed as suitable for use as outer sheath  102  and eye rims  112  of eye shades  100  are equally suitable for use with eye shades  200 . The only significant differences between eye shades  100  and eye shades  200  are in a smaller overall length of eye shades  200  and smaller-dimensioned eye cover segments  104  in combination with smaller eye rims  112 . In other words, different sizes of the eye shades of the present invention are similar in configuration, but proportionally larger or smaller, as required to fit the infant. 
     As noted above, the eye shades of the present invention may be secured to an infant&#39;s head by a variety of techniques known in the art, including without limitation adhesives, hydrocolloids, gels, nets, straps, or combinations thereof. Thus, if hook fabric segments  110  are not employed, tabs  108  may be coated with adhesive, a hydrocolloid, or a gel. Similarly, tabs  108  may comprise a portion of a net or strap to be placed over the infant&#39;s head in use. 
     FIG. 7 discloses one preferred structure for securing the eye shades of the present invention in place over an infant&#39;s eyes in the form of a strap-style bonnet  300  which includes an enlarged element  302  configured to enhance conformance to an infant&#39;s head shape. The strap-style bonnet  300  may be formed of a foam-type material which is both comfortable for the infant and which tends to grip the infant&#39;s head to reduce any tendency for slippage as the infant moves. One suitable material is the aforementioned material of outer sheath  102 , die cut to shape. The enlarged element  302  is located at the midsection of the bonnet  300 , straps  304  extending laterally and equidistantly from enlarged element  302 . Enlarged element  302  includes a plurality of slits  306  therethrough, oriented transversely to an axis along which straps  304  lie. The upper periphery  308  of enlarged element  302  is arcuate, generally semicircular and of substantial radius, and extends upwardly from straps  304 . The lower periphery  310  of enlarged element  302  extends downwardly from straps  304 , and a majority of lower periphery  310  lies substantially parallel in orientation to the axis along which straps  304  lie. The edges of straps  304  extend smoothly and arcuately into upper and lower peripheries  308  and  310  of enlarged element  302 . In use, the outer end of each strap  304  is extended about the infant&#39;s head from the rear thereof whereon enlarged element  302  has been placed, over hook fabric segment  110  on tab  108  of the outer sheath  102  so that the loop material of the inner surface of outer sheath  102  engages the hooks of hook fabric segment  110 . Thus, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1, straps  304  may be extended over hook fabric segments  110  to adjust the circumference of the eye shades  100  or  200  in combination with bonnet  300  to the diameter of the infant&#39;s head for a snug but comfortable fit. When placed on an infant, enlarged element  302  will rest on the occipital bone at the rear of the infant&#39;s skull and slits  306  in combination with the combined configurations of upper periphery  308  and lower periphery  310  permit enlarged element  302  to “cup” somewhat as the slits  306  laterally enlarge or open (see FIG.  8 ), permitting enlarged element  302  to conform to the skull and the notch at the lower rear thereof, preventing, in combination with the material of bonnet  300 , slippage of the bonnet  300  and eye shades  100  or  200 . As with the eye shades of the present invention, bonnet  300  may be sized upwardly or downwardly as required to accommodate, in combination with appropriately sized eye shades, a particular infant. 
     FIG. 8 of the drawings shows eye shades  100  in combination with bonnet  300  placed on an infant&#39;s head for phototherapy. 
     While the present invention has been described and illustrated in terms of certain specific embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate that it is not so limited. Additions to, deletions from and modifications to these specific embodiments may be effected without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Furthermore, features and elements from one specific embodiment may be likewise applied to another embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as defined herein.