Ocular vial

Claim 2

An ocular treatment apparatus for applying medicament into an eye, said apparatus comprising: a nozzle defining an orifice for releasing medicament into the eye; storage means in fluid communication with said nozzle orifice for holding medicament for release into the eye; and displacement means for displacing a substantially predetermined volume of medicament within said storage means through said nozzle orifice for release into the eye.

Claim 3

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: said storage means includes a cavity defined in said nozzle, said cavity being in fluid communication with said nozzle orifice; and said displacement means includes a piston member engageable within said nozzle cavity for displacing medicament within said nozzle cavity through said nozzle orifice for release into the eye.

Claim 4

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said storage means further includes: a body for holding medicament, said body being in fluid communication with said nozzle cavity for filling said nozzle cavity with medicament.

Claim 5

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said body defines an exterior wall having a generally cylindrical surface and an interior wall having a generally cylindrical surface, said interior wall extending within said exterior wall from one end thereof, the other end of said interior wall defining a closed end, said closed end being formed into said piston member, said piston member being engageable within said nozzle cavity for displacing medicament therein through said nozzle orifice for release into the eye.

Claim 6

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the volume of said nozzle cavity below said piston member, when said piston member is initially engaged within said nozzle cavity, is substantially equal to the volume of medicament displaced through said nozzle orifice for release into the eye.

Claim 7

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said displacement means displaces a single drop of medicament each time said displacement means displaces medicament within said storage means, through said nozzle orifice, for release into the eye.

Claim 8

An ocular treatment apparatus for applying medicament into an eye, said apparatus comprising: a nozzle having an orifice defined therein for releasing medicament into the eye; storage means in fluid communication with said nozzle orifice for holding medicament for release into the eye; a vial defining a first cavity for holding a first medicament, said first cavity being in fluid communication with said storage means, said vial further defining a second cavity for holding a second medicament; means for controllably placing said first cavity of said vial in fluid communication with said second cavity of said vial for mixing the first and second medicaments into a mixed medicament; and displacement means for displacing a substantially predetermined volume of mixed medicament within said storage means through said nozzle orifice for release into the eye.

Claim 9

An ocular treatment apparatus for applying medicament into an eye, said apparatus comprising: a nozzle having an orifice defined therein for releasing medicament into the eye; storage means in fluid communication with said nozzle orifice for holding medicament for release into the eye; a vial defining a first cavity for holding a first medicament, said first cavity being in fluid communication with said storage means, said vial further defining a second cavity for holding a second medicament; means for controllably placing said first cavity of said vial in fluid communication with said second cavity of said vial for mixing the first and second medicaments into a mixed medicament; and displacement means for displacing a substantially predetermined volume of mixed medicament within said storage means through said nozzle orifice for release into the eye.

Claim 10

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said displacement means comprises a piston member, said piston member being engageable within said storage means for displacing mixed medicament through said nozzle orifice for release into the eye.

Claim 11

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said storage means includes a cavity defined within said nozzle, said nozzle cavity being in fluid communication with both said nozzle orifice and said first cavity of said vial; and said displacement means includes a piston member, said piston member being engageable within said nozzle cavity for displacing medicament within said nozzle cavity through said nozzle orifice for release into the eye.

Claim 12

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said vial further includes an outer shell and an inner shell, said inner shell being joined to said outer shell and moveable relative thereto, said outer shell defining said first cavity for holding a first medicament, and said inner shell defining said second cavity for holding a second medicament, said piston member being coupled to said inner shell and engageable within said nozzle cavity by depressing said inner shell relative to said outer shell for displacing medicament within said nozzle cavity through said nozzle orifice for release into the eye.

Claim 13

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said means for controllably placing said first and second cavities of said vial in fluid communication comprises: at least one pin member, said pin member protruding inwardly from an interior surface of said outer shell such that when said inner shell is depressed relative to said outer shell, said pin member pierces a wall defining said second cavity for holding a second medicament, thus placing said first and second cavities in fluid communication for mixing the first and second medicaments into a mixed medicament.

Claim 14

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said second cavity for holding the second medicament is evacuated to a subatmospheric pressure for facilitating the mixing of the first and second medicaments by said means for controllably placing said first cavity of said vial in fluid communication with said second cavity of said vial.