DIY opthamology ?

[Jethro_uk]

Browsing around, my eye (every pun intended) was caught by this possible treatment for glaucoma

It seems to be available as the EyeOPT1, if it helps.

Googling for images reveals it consists of a piece which cups over the eye (presumably only for location, as it's non invasive) and a control unit.

The eye bit consists 6 pizeo transducers which are the business end. They buffet the angle (drainage channel) of the eye to (presumably) flush crud out and allow more aqueous fluid to drain thus reducing intra ocular pressure which would benefit people (like me) that suffer glaucoma.

Given the wealth of knowledge about science and engineering in this group, I was curious as to how easy it might be to knock up a heath robinson version for personal use ?

Admittedly I still have to solve the problem of actually getting an IOP reading at will, but that can be a parallel project.

With the NHS logjammed at the moment and my March scheduled op on hold indefinitely, I thought it may be an idea to look to my own, so to speak.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Personally, I'd not go near these devices home made or not. There have been assertions to many of my friends that if they are having trouble with sight saving ops and tests being delayed that the clinics should be referred to somewhere or other, sorry I did not certain this info, as they should be actually still doing the ops for those at risk of sight loss. There is, ahem, a lot of headless chicken mode going on at some trusts right now, and the department wants to know which ones are failing obviously. As to whether it will get fixed and get your op sorted, I really cannot say, as around here the clinics and ops seem to be going ahead after the issues with covid. I'm even getting a blood test from a human in two weeks, be interesting to see how they cope with a blind person who cannot see the one way schemes, sanitizer stations and new layout though.Maybe good for one of those silly TV shows about when things go wrong!

Brian

[Dave Liquorice]

Hum the high pressure is inside the eyball. The eyeball sivels within the eyesocket there is only one connection between the eyeball and head (controling muscles excepted). This is around the back of the eyeball and comprises the optic nerve and blood supply, I'm not aware that there is any drain included, none of the anatomical drawings I've looked at show one, and even if there was it's deep in your skull. The human eyeball is just over an inch in diameter.

The drain at the inner corner of the visible external eye is to drain the around the outside of the eyeball. I can't see how "unblocking" that would reduce the pressure in the eyeball.

[Tim+]

You really ought to look stuff up. ;-)

?Elevated eye pressure is due to a buildup of a fluid (aqueous humor) that flows throughout the inside of your eye. This internal fluid normally drains out through a tissue called the trabecular meshwork at the angle where the iris and cornea meet. When fluid is overproduced or the drainage system doesn't work properly, the fluid can't flow out at its normal rate and eye pressure increases.?

Tim

[R D S]

It's been a while and I CBA looking it up for a precise explanation, but....

Most of the fluid in the eye you are stuck with for life. That's why floaters are such a PIA. The section of the eye in front of the lens is separate however from the back and clear fluid (aqueous) seeps in and out of blood vessels by some sort of osmosis like funky biological networks, if the balance of in/out seepage isn't correct then this section and hence the eye overall can come under high pressure.

Indeed, unblocking anything you can see or poke would be pointless. But I think the OP is referring to a device that might/claims to alleviate one of the mechanical causes of improper drainage such as the iris getting in the way.

I reckon he needs to discuss this with a specialist though!

[Robin]

Based on a long family history of glaucoma I'll offer that aqueous humour leaves via Schlemm's canal back into the veins from the eye; and also by other, usually secondary, means. Ultrasound treatment has been around since the 1990s at least and (last time I looked) was thought to work by reducing inflow and increasing the outflow by /secondary/ means.

If the OP is keen on DIY it occurs to me there is a more conventional home remedy: the aqueous humour is essentially water with traces of protein, glucose, acid etc; and most homes have a spray that's good at displacing water :)

[R D S]

A terrifying thought!

It depends on your concern to cash flow ratio I suppose but these are available though you'd only get a bit of change back from £2k

[spuorgelgoog]

Very humorous.

Owain

[Roger Hayter]

"Tranecular meshwork" is a bit tautological.

[Roger Hayter]

Especially without the typo!

[Dave Liquorice]

Fair cop.

meshwork at

overproduced or

Facinating and today's new thing. And as my Dad had glaucoma something I ought to know about as well. Thank you.

As for a DIY ultrasonic trabecular meshwork or Schlemm's canal basher, well eye wouldn't.