Intraocular physiological sensor

Abstract

An implantable intraocular physiological sensor for measuring intraocular pressure, glucose concentration in the aqueous humor, and other physiological characteristics. The implantable intraocular physiological sensor may be at least partially powered by a fuel cell, such as an electrochemical glucose fuel cell. The implantable intraocular physiological sensor may wirelessly transmit measurements to an external device. In addition, the implantable intraocular physiological sensor may incorporate aqueous drainage and/or drug delivery features.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An implantable physiological measurement device comprising:
 a sensing module configured to output a signal representative of intraocular pressure in an anterior chamber of an eye;   an antenna and a transmitter, each of which is disposed on a flexible carrier member and configured to wirelessly communicate intraocular pressure measurements to an external device; and   a battery configured to supply operating power to the device;   wherein the flexible carrier member is disposed within an elongate housing having a fluid channel with a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port, such that the sensing module, the antenna, the transmitter, and the battery are disposed inside the elongate housing, the elongate housing being sized and shaped to be at least partially implanted in the supraciliary/suprachoroidal space of the eye,   wherein the sensing module is disposed at a proximal end of the elongate housing, such that the sensing module resides in the anterior chamber of the eye when a distal end of the elongate housing, along with at least a portion of the antenna or battery, resides in the supraciliary/suprachoroidal space, and   wherein the fluid channel is configured to permit aqueous humor to flow from the anterior chamber, through the fluid channel, into the supraciliary/suprachoroidal space.   
     
     
         2 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller module, disposed on the flexible carrier member. 
     
     
         3 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 2 , wherein the controller module is configured to perform data compression on the intraocular pressure measurements. 
     
     
         4 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 2 , wherein the controller module is configured to cause the sensing module or the transmitter to shut down or enter a power-saving state when the sensing module is not in use. 
     
     
         5 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 1 , further comprising a signal conditioning and analog-to-digital conversion module, disposed on the flexible carrier member. 
     
     
         6 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 1 , further comprising a measurement storage device that is configured to store intraocular pressure measurements. 
     
     
         7 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to automatically measure intraocular pressure at least every hour. 
     
     
         8 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to automatically measure intraocular pressure at least every 15 minutes. 
     
     
         9 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to automatically measure intraocular pressure at least every minute. 
     
     
         10 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate housing is biocompatible. 
     
     
         11 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 1 , wherein the battery has a power output of at least about 10 μW. 
     
     
         12 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the elongate housing includes a barbed retention feature to maintain the device within the supraciliary/suprachoroidal space of the eye. 
     
     
         13 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the elongate housing includes a flange to prevent over-insertion of the device within the supraciliary/suprachoroidal space of the eye. 
     
     
         14 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate housing has a width of 0.6 mm or less. 
     
     
         15 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate housing has a length of 22 mm or less. 
     
     
         16 . An implantable physiological measurement device comprising:
 a sensing module configured to measure intraocular pressure in an anterior chamber of an eye;   a flexible carrier member;   an antenna, a transmitter, and a controller module, each of which is disposed on the flexible carrier member; and   a battery configured to supply operating power to the device;   wherein the flexible carrier member is disposed within an elongate housing having a fluid channel with a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port, such that the sensing module, the antenna, the transmitter, the controller module, and the battery are disposed inside the elongate housing, the elongate housing being sized and shaped to be at least partially implanted in the supraciliary/suprachoroidal space of the eye, and   wherein the sensing module is disposed within the elongate housing at a proximal end of the elongate housing, such that the sensing module resides in the anterior chamber of the eye when a distal end of the elongate housing, along with at least a portion of the antenna or battery, resides in the supraciliary/suprachoroidal space.   
     
     
         17 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 16 , wherein the controller module is configured to perform data compression on intraocular pressure measurements. 
     
     
         18 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 16 , wherein the controller module is configured to cause the sensing module or the transmitter to shut down or enter a power-saving state when the sensing module is not in use. 
     
     
         19 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 16 , wherein the elongate housing has a width of 0.6 mm or less. 
     
     
         20 . The implantable physiological measurement device of  claim 16 , wherein the elongate housing has a length of 22 mm or less.