BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns an eye mask, configured to cover the eyes and the eyelids of a user, for acting against dryness of the eyes by improving the quality of the tear film covering the cornea of the eye.

The tear film present on the cornea of the eye comprises several successive layers including a layer referred to as aqueous and a lipid or oily layer constituted by complex lipids (meibum) secreted by the glands situated on the edge of the eyelids, the meibomian glands.

The lipid layer constitutes the outermost layer of the tear film and prevents rapid evaporation of the water contained in the tears. Dysfunction of the meibomian glands may result in thicker secretions than normal which block the glands, so preventing the release of those secretions into the tear film.

This causes a sensation of dryness of the eye, of the presence of a foreign body (“grain of sand” sensation), inflammation of the eyelids, swelling of the glands, and/or disturbed vision.

Unblocking of the meibomian glands may be obtained under the effect of heat, the lipid secretions being rendered fluid and liquid under the effect of the heat. An optimal result is attained under the effect of hot air (at approximately 50° C.) saturated with water vapour. A sufficient duration is moreover required, of the order of ten minutes, in saturated hot air, to obtain a good result.

Description of the Related Art

Document EP2961363 presents a therapeutic device of the eye mask type comprising a phase-change material making it possible to maintain a sufficient temperature for the device for the duration of the treatment, and a water reservoir.

However, such a device presents a certain number of constraints for use. It must be heated in advance of its use in order to liquefy the phase-change material, which may take a long time and consume a large amount of energy. Furthermore, the control of the temperature throughout the application of the mask is imperfect. The water that is carried must also be heated, and the energy necessary for its heating may be great. Furthermore, the filling of the device with water, which employs porous members, could be simplified. Lastly, such a device is obscuring, and does not enable the user to see during its application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to solving at least one of the aforesaid drawbacks.

Thus, the invention relates to an eye mask adapted to cover the eyes and the eyelids of a user. The mask comprises a main body comprising electrical heating means and a battery configured to supply the electrical heating means, and a removable member removably linked to the main body. The removable member comprises a wall forming a reservoir provided with retaining orifices adapted to retain a liquid, in particular water, under the effect of the surface tension between said liquid and walls of the orifices. The wall forming a reservoir is advantageously configured to surround the eyes of a user wearing said mask.

The mask provided in the invention thus enables the treatment of dry eyes by decongestion of the meibomian glands, in an easy and autonomous manner. The use of a battery enables the heating and/or maintenance of the temperature of the air present in a mask, in particular during the wearing of the mask by a user, without the mask being linked to an external source of energy. The removable member forming a reservoir by holding water under the effect of surface tension makes it possible, after easy filling, to carry in the mask a sufficient quantity of water (or other liquid or solution) to saturate the air present in the mask with vapour for the duration of application. The particular configuration of the reservoir for liquid (generally water) employing orifices retaining the water under the effect of the surface tension between the water and the wall of those orifices enables precise control of the quantity of water carried in the mask at the start of application. The configuration of the wall forming a reservoir provides good distribution of the store of liquid (generally water) around the eyes of the user, and enables uniformly saturated air to be obtained in the mask. It also increases the clearance in front of the user's eyes, allowing the user to blink when he uses the masks.

The removable member may comprise a first part comprising the wall forming a reservoir, and a second part providing air-tightness with the face of a user wearing said mask.

The first part and the second part may be constituted by distinct pieces, the first part being constituted of a material that is plastic, and the second part being formed of a material that is elastic.

The removable member or part is advantageously air-tight with respect to an inside wall of the main body, so as to form a volume in front of the user's eyes that is sealed to the air.

The second part of the removable member may furthermore provide air-tightness with respect to an inside wall of the main body.

In an embodiment of the mask, the retaining orifices are configured in terms of size and number to retain between 0.5 g and 1.5 g of water, and preferably between 0.7 g and 1 g of water.

In a mask according to a preferred variant of the invention, when the removable member is linked to the main body, the wall forming a reservoir is in contact with an inside surface of the main body, the heating means being configured so as to heat said inside surface.

The removable member may be linked to the main body by the matching of shape between the inside surface of the main body and an outside surface of the wall forming a reservoir.

A mask in accordance with an embodiment of the invention may comprise at least one temperature sensor and at least one means for regulating the supply of the heating means by the battery, the temperature sensor and the regulating means being linked.

The invention also relates to a set comprising a mask as described earlier and a base adapted to receive the main body of said mask and supply it with electricity to recharge the battery thereof.

Such a set may be configured such that the electricity supply of said main body furthermore enables the heating of the heating means without them being supplied by the battery, when said main body is received on the base.

The base may comprise a hollow for receiving the main body of the mask, said hollow having a shape preventing the main body of the mask from being received on said base when the removable member is linked to said main body.

The base may comprise a housing configured to receive the removable member.

The set may further comprise a receptacle adapted to receive the removable member for the filling of said wall forming a reservoir, the base further comprising a means for receiving the receptacle when said receptacle is empty.

The main body of the mask or the base may comprise wired or wireless communication means adapted to communicate with a remote system.

Lastly, the invention relates to a method of using a mask as described above, the method comprising:filling with liquid the orifices of the wall forming a reservoir;linking the removable member to the main body;supplying the heating means by the battery;regulating the supply of the heating means for the whole or part of a so-called time of application, in order to maintain the air contained in an internal space of the mask within a predefined temperature range for the whole or part of the time of application.

Still other particularities and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description.

