Prosthesis and method for widening the palpebral fissure of an individual's eye

Abstract

A prosthesis capable of being worn on the eye of a wearer having a convex surface and a concave surface. The prosthesis is configured to widen the natural palpebral fissure of a wearer's eye. The prosthesis may have an aperture widening zone located on the convex surface and including an area of increased surface friction. A method of widening the natural palpebral fissure of a wearer's eye is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prosthesis capable of being worn on the eye of a wearer, comprising:
 a convex surface;   a concave surface; and   an aperture widening zone located on the convex surface and including an area of increased surface friction;   wherein the aperture widening zone has a minimum vertical dimension of greater than or equal to 8 mm; and   wherein the aperture widening zone is configured to widen the natural palpebral fissure of a wearer's eye.   
     
     
         2 . The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the area of increased surface friction has a friction drag coefficient that is greater than the friction drag coefficient of a portion of the convex surface adjacent to the area of increased surface friction. 
     
     
         3 . The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the area of increased surface friction has a friction drag coefficient at least 25% greater than the friction drag coefficient of a portion of the convex surface adjacent to the area of increased surface friction. 
     
     
         4 . The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the area of increased surface friction is an area having a friction drag coefficient of 33% greater than the friction drag coefficient of a portion of the convex surface adjacent to the area of increased surface friction. 
     
     
         5 . The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture widening zone includes a plurality of areas of increased surface friction. 
     
     
         6 . The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the prosthesis has an overall diameter of at least 13.0 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the area of increased surface friction is flat and takes on the normal curvature of the convex surface of the prosthesis. 
     
     
         8 . The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the area of increased surface friction is raised relative to a normalized front convex surface of the prosthesis. 
     
     
         9 . The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the area of increased surface friction is provided by a surface treatment, a coating, a different material, surface dimples, surface irregularities, chemical treatment, etching, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The prosthesis of  claim 1 , further comprising a color enhancing region. 
     
     
         11 . The prosthesis of  claim 10 , wherein the color enhancing region provides increased surface friction. 
     
     
         12 . The prosthesis of  claim 10 , wherein the color enhancing region at least partially overlaps with the aperture widening zone. 
     
     
         13 . The prosthesis of  claim 10 , wherein color enhancing region comprises at least one of: a continuous colored ring, a non-continuous colored ring, a colored zone, a uniform color, multiple colors, multiple shades of a single color, and an accent color. 
     
     
         14 . The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture widening zone also includes an area of increased thickness, and wherein the area of increased thickness includes an outer slope and an inner slope with a maximum change in thickness located in between. 
     
     
         15 . The prosthesis of  claim 14 , wherein the maximum change in thickness is between 25 microns and 1,000 microns. 
     
     
         16 . A method of widening the natural palpebral fissure of an individual's eye comprising:
 (a) measuring the vertical dimension of the natural palpebral fissure of an individual's eye;   (b) providing to the individual a first prosthesis comprising an aperture widening zone with a minimum vertical dimension at least 1 mm greater than the individual's natural palpebral fissure.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 (c) re-measuring the vertical dimension of the palpebral fissure of the individual's eye while the individual is wearing the first prosthesis;   (d) determining whether the vertical dimension of the palpebral fissure of the individual's eye has been widened by at least 1 mm relative to the measurement in step (a); and   (e) repeating steps (b)-(d) with different prostheses comprising an aperture widening zone with a minimum vertical dimension greater than the minimum vertical dimension of the first prosthesis until the individual's palpebral fissure is widened by at least 1 mm relative to the measurement in step (a).   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing to the individual a prosthesis that, when worn, results in the individual having a palpebral fissure with a vertical dimension at least 1 mm greater than the vertical dimension of the individual's natural palpebral fissure. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the measurement in step (a) is determined by at least one of: taking a photograph of the individual's eye and measuring the vertical dimension of the individual's palpebral fissure in the photograph, physically measuring the vertical dimension of the individual's palpebral fissure, visually estimating the vertical dimension of the individual's palpebral fissure, fitting a trial prosthesis having markings that indicate one or more vertical dimensions on the individual's eye, and fitting a trail prosthesis having a known diameter on the individual's eye. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the measurement in step (e) is determined by at least one of: taking a photograph of the individual's eye and measuring the vertical dimension of the individual's palpebral fissure in the photograph, physically measuring the vertical dimension of the individual's palpebral fissure, visually estimating the vertical dimension of the individual's palpebral fissure, fitting a trial prosthesis having markings that indicate one or more vertical dimensions on the individual's eye, and fitting a trail prosthesis having a known diameter on the individual's eye.