Improvements in Apparatus for Correcting Myopy.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application. 13th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Correcting Myopy.
-
-I, CHARLES DION, of No. 52 Boulovard de Clichy, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare tho nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an apparatus for giving normal vision to persons afflicted
with myopy.
My apparatus is designed to correct myopy, which is due as is known to a
prominence of the cornea, by exercising a light pressure on the eye in such a manner
as to diminish its curvature and also permitting, when this pressure ceases, of fixing
the eyes for a suitable time, on any object through an orifice of very small diameter.
Such pressure should be exerted along the optic axes of the eyes, and for this
purpose the apparatus is provided with a special regulating device.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I have illustrated the
principle of my apparatus in the accompanying drawing but by way of example
only.
Kianna 1 is a front view
•
piau, unu
Figure 3 a side view of one form of my apparatus.
Figure 4 shows in front view an accessory arrangement for adjusting the apparatus.
Figure shows an internal front view of another form or modification of my
apparatus, and
Figure 6 is a plan of the same.
Figures 7 and 8 are respectively a side view and a plan showing an arrangement
for indicating the pressure exerted on the eyes by the movable discs or pressure
surfaces.
In these figures, like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
My apparatus consists essentially in a frame a provided with two apertures 6 as'in
ordinary spectacles and provided with side-pieces or extensions c capable of being
folded back and of being lengthened or shortened.
'
These side-pieces each terminate in a fork d closed by a piece of elastic material,
thus enabling the apparatus to be securely fastened to the ears of the person to whom
it is applied.
The frame a carries two guide-rods d on which can be moved the support e of the
devices for exercising pressure on the cornea.
Each of the said devices or pressure-pads comprises a small cylindrical or conical
tube terminated by a disc y perforated at the centre by a small hole h.
These pressure-pads are movable on the rod i of the support e in such a manner
as to permit their relativo distance to be regulated according to the distance between
the eyes of the subject.
This regulation is effected by turning the head of a rod ; which is provided with
two screw-threaded parts, the screw-threads being in opposite directions as shown
in Figures 1 and 2, so as to permit of the two tubes being operated at the same
time and thus simultaneously brought together or separated from each other; the
said pressure-pads, which are each provided for this purpose with a base & forming
a nut that is traversed by the rod j, can also be operated separately by turning
one or the other of two screws, j, Figures 5 and 6, working in nuts connected by..
pieces o to the bases k of the said pads.

page_text: The position of the support e relatively to the frame a is adjusted by turning the
screw operating the rod which may be provided with an index mark or pointer,
showing the travel of the pressure-pads by means of a graduation marked on a sleeve
or socket p carried by the frame a.
In order to know exactly the pressure exerted by the pressure-pads on the eyes,
the rod may be extended beyond the socket p, Figures 7 and 8, so that one of the
arms of the fever 7 mounted on the socket may, by the action of the weight r
movable along the other arm of this lever, rest on the end of the rod and move
a needle or pointer s secured to the pivotal axis of this lever, which pointer will
indicate on a graduated sector t, the pressure exerted.
The apparatus is fixed on the nose of the subject by means of a piece m movable
about an axis n carried by the two guide-rods d. This piece which operates similarly
to a pince nez can be made with a spring.
My apparatus being thus arranged, I will describe its operation with reference to
Figures 1 to 3-
Before exerting pressure on the eyes, it is necessary to first determine the position
of the pressure-pads so as to act on the required parts of the eyes.
The first operation consists then in adjusting the instrument.
For this purpose
the same is placed on the subject similarly to a pair of spectacles, the piece m resting
on the upper part of the pose and the forks c¹ embracing the ears.
The discs g
should not then exert any pressure on the eyes.
The subject then turns the rod j so as to bring the tubes into a position such
that he or she can see, as well with the right eye as with the left eye, an object
placed at a certain distance; this distance varying according to the degree of myopy
of the subject.
When the apparatus is thus adjusted, the subject closes the eyes and moves the
screw in such a manner as to exert a light pressure on the cornea by means of
the pressure-pads.
For this operation the discs 9 may be concave and covered with caoutchouc or
other tissue stretched over the discs so that this pressure is exerted over the whole
of the surface of the eye.
This pressure on the cornea should only last a very short time, about one or two
minutes, and should be applied gradually.
The operator then turns the screw in the opposite direction so as to release the
pressure; the subject then opens the eyes and looks through the tubes f.
The curvature of the cornea being reduced by the pressure, it results that the subject
can see distinctly, at a greater distance than before, the object which he had observed
when adjusting the apparatus..
These two successive operations, which consist in lightly compressing the eye
and then observing a point through small tubes, act together to render the sight
longer.
In order to readily determine or evaluate, this distance at which the object is seen,
the object may be carried, for example, on a kind of cursor movable along a
graduated rod.
After a series of several of such operations made at intervals, the eye takes up
the normal form and retains it, so that at the end of a relatively short time the
myopy is completely corrected.
In order to more conveniently adjust the instrument, the distance between the
two discs or pressure-pads may be determined by means of the arrangement shown
in Figure 4.
The latter comprises two small cylindrical or conical tubes 1 forming a small
pair of spectacles without glass. Tliese tubes are mounted at the end of arms u
which are movable about the axis v, in such a manner that they may be separated or
brought together as desired according to the distance between the eyes...
The instrument is, moreover, provided with a handle z and a piece m² similar to the
piece m above mentioned. This piece m¹ being placed on the nose, enables the
instrument to be secured in a convenient position.

page_text: I can also operate the arms u by other suitable devices, such for instance, as
Borews.
The operator can thus easily bring the small tubes to their proper distance apart,
without any trouble, and, knowing this distance, can place the disos g directly in
the position which they should occupy.
This accessory instrument thus obviates any experimenting or loss of time in
adjusting the apparatus.
My apparatus can be varied in its form and dimensions and I can modify the
accessory devices without departing from the nature of my said.invention..
Dated this 13th day of November 1895.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Correcting Myopy.
I, CHARLES DION, of No. 52 Boulevard de Clichy, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an apparatus for giving normal vision to persons afflicted
with myopy.
My improved apparatus is designed to correct myopy which is due as is known to
a prominence of the cornea, by exercising a light pressure on the eye in such a
manner as to diminish its curvature and also by permitting, when this pressure
ceases, the fixing of the eyes for a suitable time on any object through an orifice of
very small diameter.
Such pressure should be exerted along the optic axes of the eyes and for this
purpose the apparatus is provided with a special regulating device.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have illustrated the
principle of my apparatus, but only by way of example, in the drawing accompanying
my Provisional Specification, in which
Figure 1 is a front view,
Figure 2 a plan, and
Figure 3 a side view of one form of my apparatus.
Figure 4 shows in front view an accessory arrangement for adjusting the
apparatus...
Figure 5 shows an internal front view of another form, or modification of my
apparatus, and
Figure 6 is a plan of the same.
Figures 7 and 8 are respectively a side view and a plan showing an arrangement
for indicating the pressure exerted on the eyes by the movable discs or pressure
surfaces.
In these figures, like letters. of reference indicate corresponding parts.
My apparatus consists essentially in a frame a having two apertures 6 as, in
ordinary spectacles and provided with side-pieces or extensions c.capable of being
folded back and of being lengthened or shortened:
These side-pieces each terminate in a fork e closed by a piece of elastic material,
thus enabling the apparatus to be securely fastened to the ears of the person to whom
it is applied...
In most cases, however, I prefer to employ one or more bands attached either to
the frame a or to the extensions thereof or otherwise as found most convenient, the
said bands passing around the head and being secured by means of buckles or clasps

page_text: or other adjustable devices, these bands being employed in place of the forked
side-pieces which only pass behind the ears and do not give such rigidity to the
apparatus or hold it so firmly.
The frame a carries two guide-rods d on which can be moved the support e of the.
devices for exercising pressure on the cornea.
Each of the said devices or pressure-pads comprises a small cylindrical or conical
tube terminated by a disc g perforated with a small hole h at the centre.
These pressure-pads are movable on the rod i of the support e in such a manner
as to permit their relative distance apart to be regulated according to the distance
between the eyes of the subject.
This regulation is effected by turning the bead of a rod which is provided with
two screw-threaded parts the screw-threads being in opposite directions, as shown
in Figures 1 and 2, so as to permit of the two tubes being operated at the same time
and thus simultaneously brought together or separated from each other; the said
pressure-pads, which are each provided for this purpose with a base & forming a nut
that is traversed by the rod 1, can also be operated separately by turning one or the
other of two screws j',, Figures 5 and 6, working in nuts connected by pieces o
to the bases of the said pads.
The position of the support e relatively to the frame a is adjusted by turning
the screw operating the rod which may be provided with an index mark or
pointer showing the travel of the pressure-pads by means of a graduation marked on
a sleeve or socket p carried by the frame a.
To permit of ascertaining exactly the pressure exerted by the pressure-pads on
the eyes, the rod may be extended beyond the socket p, Figures 7 and 8,
so that one of the arms of a lever q mounted on the socket p may, by the action
of the weight movable along the other arm of this lever g, rest on the end of the
rod and move a needle or pointers secured to the pivotal axis of this lover,
which pointer will indicate on a graduated sector t, the pressure exerted.
The apparatus is fixed on the nose, of the subject by means of a piece m
movable about an axis n carried by the two guide-rods d. This piece which
operates similarly to a pince-nez can be made with a spring.
My apparatus being thus arranged, I will describe its operation with reference to
Figures 1 to 3 :-
Before exerting pressure on the eyes, it is necessary to first determine the position
of the pressure-pads so as to act on the required parts of the eyes.
The first operation consists then in adjusting the instrument. For this purpose
the same is placed on the subject similarly to a pair of spectacles, the piece m
resting on the upper part of the nose, and the forks c' embracing the ears or the
aforesaid band being fastened around the head. The discs g should not then exert any
pressure on the eyes.
The subject then turns the rod j so as to bring the tubes into a position such
'that he or she can see with the right eye, as well as with the left eye, an object
placed at a certain distance, this distance varying according to the degree of myopy
of the subject.
When the apparatus is thus adjusted, the subject closes the eyes and moves the
screw in such a manner as to exert a light pressure on the cornea by means of
the pressure-pads.
For this operation the discs may be concave and covered with caoutchouc or
other tissue stretched over the discs, so that this pressure is exerted over the whole of
'the surface of' the eye.
This pressure on the cornea should only last a very short time, about one or two
minutes, and should be applied gradually.
The operator then turns the screw in the opposite direction so as to release
the pressure; the subject then opens the eyes and looks through the tubes f
The curvature of the cornea being reduced by the pressure, it results that the
subject can see distinctly,, at a greater distance than before, the object which 'he
had observed when adjusting the apparatus.

page_text: These two successive operations, which consist in lightly compressing the eye and.
then observing a point through small tubes, act together to render the sight longer.
In order to readily determine or evaluate this distance at which the object is seen;.
the object may be carried, for example, on a kind of cursor movable along a
graduated rod.
After a series of several of such operations, made at intervals, the eye takes up
the normal form and retains it, so that at the end of a relatively short time the
myopy is completely corrected.
In order to more convoniently adjust the instrument, the distance between the two
discs or pressure-pads may be determined by means of the arrangement shown 'in “
Figure 4.
The latter comprises two small cylindrical or conical tubes forming a small
pair of spectacles without glass. These tubes are mounted at the end of arms u
which are movable about the axis v, in such a manner that they may be moved
away from or brought towards each other as desired according to the distance
between the eyes.
The instrument is, moreover, provided with a handler and a piece m¹ similar
to the piece m above mentioned. This piece m' being placed on the nose, enables
the instrument to be secured in a convenient position.
I can also operate the arms u by other suitable devices, such for instance, as..
screws.
The operator can thus easily bring the small tubes to their proper distanco apart,.
without any trouble and, knowing this distance, can place the discs g directly in the
position which they should occupy.
This accessory instrument thus obviates any experimenting or loss of time in
adjusting the apparatus.
My apparatus can be varied in its form and dimensions and I can modify the
accessory devices without departing from the nature of my said invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An apparatus for correcting myopy substantially in the mannor hereinbefore
described.
2. In an apparatus for correcting myopy, movable pressure-pads or surfaces, having.
holes in their centre and permitting the exercise of a light pressure on the eyes
and, when this pressure ceases, of observing any suitable object without disturbing.
the apparatus, substantially as herein before described.
3. In an apparatus for correcting myopy, the combination of the movable pressure-
pads with a frame having two apertures and provided with suitable means for
enabling the apparatus to be securely fastened to the head of the person to whom
it is applied, substantially as described.
4. In an apparatus for correcting myopy, mounting the pressure-pads on a
guide-rod or support so that they are movable thereon by means of right and
left-banded screws the said pressure-pads being each provided with a base forming
a nut which is traversed by the said screws, substantially as, and for the purposes,
hereinbefore described.
5. In an apparatus for correcting myopy, means for adjusting the support e
relatively to the frame a, comprising a screw connected by a rod to the said support.
whereby the said support is displaced on guides carried by the said frame, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
6. In an apparatus for correcting myopy, the nose-piece movable about an axis
carried by the two guide-rods of the frame a, substantially as, and for the purpose,
herein before described.
'
7. In an apparatus for correcting myopy, the device for moving the pressure-pads
towards or away from each other, substantially as described with reference to
Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing.

page_text: 8. In an apparatus for correcting myopy the employment of a graduation on the
sleeve p carried by the frame a so as to indicate the travel of the pressure-pads by
means of the displacement of an index mounted on the movable rod, substantially
as described.
9. In an apparatus for correcting myopy, the device for indicating the pressure
exerted by the pressure-pads on the eyes, comprising a lover of one of the arms of
which is pressed against the end of the rod by the action of a weight ŕ movable
on the other arm of this lover, which bears on its pivotal axis a needle or pointer s
indicating on a graduated sector t, the pressure exerted, substantially as described
with reference to Figures 7 and 8 of the drawing.
10. In an apparatus for correcting myopy, the auxiliary apparatus for adjusting
the pressure pads and the other parts of the instrument comprising two cylindrical
or conical tubes f' mounted at the end of arms u movable about an axis v bearing
a nose-piece m' and a handle, substantially as described.
'
11. The improved apparatus constructed substantially as described with reference
to Figures 1, 2 and 3, or to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing and operating as and for
the purposes above specified.
Dated this 11th day of September 105.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.