Forceps

Abstract

The invention involves forceps having rounded grasping tips. The rounded tips are configured to avoid puncturing an amniotic membrane during insertion over an ocular surface for the treatment of dry eye disease and inflammation of the eyes and to avoid injuring the conjunctiva during removal of an amniotic membrane from the ocular surface. The forceps have grasping tips at its distal end, wherein one of the grasping tips has a notch on its inside surface. The dimensions of the notch are configured to permit an eye doctor to securely and safely grasp a lip of an amniotic membrane insert for better insertion and removal from an ocular surface.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of gripping an amniotic membrane insert comprising:
 (a) providing the amniotic membrane insert positioned within an inner conformer ring and an outer conformer ring; and   (b) grasping the inner conformer ring using a pair of ophthalmic forceps.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the ophthalmic forceps includes a first arm, and wherein the first arm includes a notch located on an inside surface thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the ophthalmic forceps includes a second arm, and wherein the second arm includes a set of grooved transversal anti-slip elements located on an inside surface thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising locking the amniotic membrane insert into place between the notch and the anti-slip elements. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the notch is located adjacent a distal end of the first grasping tip, and wherein the notch has a width and a depth configured to fit an outer edge of the inner conformer ring. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising applying a sufficient inward pressure on a first gripping section located on the first arm and a second gripping section located on the second arm to move a first distal end and a second distal end of the ophthalmic forceps together. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the inner conformer ring is locked into place between the notch and the anti-slip elements by squeezing together the first and the second gripping sections. 
     
     
         8 . A method of placing an amniotic membrane insert onto an ocular surface comprising:
 (a) providing an amniotic membrane insert positioned within an inner conformer ring and an outer conformer ring;   (b) grasping the inner conformer ring between a first and a second grasping tip of an ophthalmic forceps;   (c) placing a portion of the amniotic membrane insert on a superior conjunctival formix of a patient;   (d) tucking an upper portion of the amniotic membrane insert under an upper eyelid of the patient; and   (e) tucking a lower portion of the amniotic membrane insert under a lower eyelid of the patient.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising placing a drop of an anesthetic in an eye of the patient. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the amniotic membrane insert is provided in a covering. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising removing the amniotic membrane insert from the covering and rinsing the amniotic membrane insert with physiological saline before grasping the inner conformer ring between the first and second grasping tips. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising rinsing the amniotic membrane insert with physiological saline before grasping the inner conformer ring between the first and second grasping tips. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising locking the inner conformer ring between a notch on the first grasping tip and an anti-slip element on the second grasping tip of the ophthalmic forceps. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising removing the first and second grasping tips of the ophthalmic forceps from the inner conformer ring. 
     
     
         15 . A method of removing an amniotic membrane insert conformer rings from an ocular surface comprising:
 (a) pulling downward on a lower eyelid of a patient to expose a portion of an amniotic membrane insert;   (b) placing an inner edge of an inner conformer ring of the amniotic membrane insert against an anti-slip element on an inside surface of a second grasping tip of an ophthalmic forceps;   (c) placing an outer edge of the inner conformer ring in a notch on an inside surface of a first grasping tip of the ophthalmic forceps;   (d) squeezing the first and the second grasping tips together to lock the inner conformer ring into place between the notch and the anti-slip element; and   (e) removing an undissolved remainder of the amniotic membrane insert with the inner and outer conformer rings from an ocular surface of the patient.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising placing a drop of an anesthetic in an eye of the patient 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the first and the second grasping tips of the ophthalmic forceps are released from the inner and outer edges of the inner conformer ring by releasing an applied inward pressure on a first gripping section located on the first arm and a second gripping section located on the second arm.