Ocular vial

Claim 2

An ocular treatment apparatus for applying medicament into an eye, said apparatus comprising: a vial defining first and second cavities, said first cavity being in fluid communication with said second cavity for receiving a predetermined volume of medicament therefrom, said vial having formed therein an orifice in fluid communication with said first cavity for releasing a substantially predetermined volume of medicament therefrom; a piston member, said piston member being moveable within said first cavity for displacing a substantially predetermined volume of medicament from said first cavity through said orifice and into the eye, the piston member and/or a surface defining the first cavity including means for removing air from the medicament released from the first cavity into the eye.

Claim 3

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said vial comprises 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 a closed end of said vial, the other end of said interior wall defining a closed end, said closed end of said interior wall being joined to said piston member, said interior wall being moveable relative to said exterior wall for depressing said piston member to displace medicament through said orifice for release into the eye.

Claim 4

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for removing air includes: a passageway defined between said piston member and a surface defining said first cavity, wherein during the downward stroke of said piston member, air and medicament is forced from said first cavity, through said passageway, and into said second cavity.

Claim 5

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said passageway is formed by an indentation in a surface of said piston member, such that during the downward stroke of said piston member, air and medicament is permitted to flow through said passageway until said indentation is contained within said first cavity, whereupon during the remainder of the downward stroke of said piston member, the medicament in said first cavity is displaced through said orifice.

Claim 6

An ocular treatment apparatus for applying medicament into an eye, comprising: a nozzle defining an orifice therein and a first cavity in fluid communication with the orifice, the first cavity being adapted to receive a predetermined volume of medicament for release through the orifice into an eye; a housing coupled to the nozzle and defining a second cavity therein, the second cavity being in fluid communication with the first cavity and adapted to hold medicament for release into an eye; a piston member supported by the housing and moveable under the force applied by a user within the first cavity, the downward stroke of the piston member displacing a substantially predetermined volume of medicament within the first cavity through the nozzle orifice and into an eye, the return stroke of the piston member permitting medicament to flow from the second cavity into the first cavity, the piston member and/or a surface defining the first cavity including means for permitting air within the first cavity to pass into the second cavity on the downward stroke of the piston member to expel air from the medicament released into the eye.

Claim 7

An ocular treatment apparatus for applying medicament into an eye, comprising: a nozzle defining an orifice therein and a first cavity in fluid communication with the orifice, the first cavity being adapted to receive a predetermined volume of medicament for release through the orifice into an eye; a housing coupled to the nozzle and defining a second cavity therein, the second cavity being in fluid communication with the first cavity and adapted to hold medicament for release into an eye; a piston member supported by the housing and moveable under the force applied by a user within the first cavity, the downward stroke of the piston member displacing a substantially predetermined volume of medicament within the first cavity through the nozzle orifice and into an eye, the return stroke of the piston member permitting medicament to flow from the second cavity into the first cavity, the piston member and/or a surface defining the first cavity including means for permitting air within the first cavity to pass into the second cavity on the downward stroke of the piston member to expel air from the medicament released into the eye.

Claim 8

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the housing defines an exterior wall having a generally cylindrical surface and an interior wall having a generally cylindrical surface, the interior wall extending within the exterior wall from one end thereof, the other end of the interior wall defining a closed end, the closed end being formed into the piston member, the piston member thus being moveable within the first cavity for displacing medicament therein through the nozzle orifice for release into the eye.

Claim 9

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the volume of the first nozzle cavity below the piston member, when the piston member is initially engaged within the nozzle cavity, is substantially equal to the volume of medicament displaced through the nozzle orifice for release into the eye.

Claim 10

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the piston member displaces a single drop of medicament on each downward stroke thereof, through the nozzle orifice, for release into the eye.

Claim 11

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the means for permitting air to pass into the second cavity includes: a surface of the piston member having at least one indentation formed therein to permit the passage of air and medicament therethrough and into the second cavity on the downward stroke of the piston member.

Claim 12

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the indentation is dimensioned so that during the beginning of the downward stroke of the piston member air and medicament is permitted to flow therethrough from the first cavity into the second cavity until the indentation is contained within the first cavity, whereupon during the remainder of the downward stroke of the piston member the remaining medicament in the first cavity is displaced through the orifice.

Claim 13

An ocular treatment apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein he housing includes: a first wall coupled to the nozzle; and a second wall coupled to the first wall by a flexible portion, the first and second walls defining the second cavity therebetween, the piston member being coupled to the second wall and supported therefrom, the flexible portion permitting the second wall to move relative to the first wall to, in turn, permit the piston member to move within the first cavity to displace medicament therefrom.