Application US20060136018

Apparatus for administering light stimulation
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US20060136018

1. An apparatus for administering light to effect re-timing of the human body clock including at least two light emitting diodes having an emission wavelength in the range 450 nm to 530 nm, a frame adapted to be worn on the face of a wearer and support one of said light emitting diodes adjacent the surface of each eye to direct light at the pupil of each eye. (10) (0)

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame is in the form of an eyeglass frame supported by a nose in the customary manner. (2) (0)

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the eyeglass frame includes substantially conventional ear stems. (0)

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a pair of the light emitting diodes are each mounted at a bottom branch of a respective eye frame of the eyeglass such that the light output of each light emitting diode is aimed at the pupil of a respective eye. (2) (0)

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting diodes have a peak intensity at a wavelength of about 470 nm (0)

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes project a light output that illuminates an area of the retina of a respective eye, the area excluding the macula. (0)

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each light emitting diode is arranged so that the respective light output provides a substantially uniform irradiance of substantially the entire area of the pupil of a respective eye. (1) (0)

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes are positioned 10 to 20 degrees below a line that intersects the centrepoints of the monocular visual fields of the eyes of the wearer. (0)

13. The apparatus as claimed claim 1, wherein the distance from the tips of the light emitting diodes to the corneal surface of respective eyes is between substantially 10 mm to 15 mm. (1) (0)

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the effective intensity of the light emitting diodes at a corneal surface is in the range of 1000 lux to 4000 lux. (0)

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further including electronic circuitry to deliver a constant low current from a battery. (1) (0)

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a ramping up of intensity over substantially 5 seconds before the light emitting diodes reach a maximum intensity required for effective operation, thus allowing a user's eyes to adjust to the light slowly. (0)

49. A method of administering light to effect re-timing of the human body clock, the method including using an apparatus as claimed in claim 1. (0)

17. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1, wherein the electronic circuitry includes the frame. (0)

21. An apparatus for administering light to effect re-timing of the human body clock, the apparatus including: (11) (3)

two pairs of light emitting diodes having an emission wavelength in the range 450 nm to 530 nm; and

a frame adapted to be worn on the face of a wearer and arranged to support the two pairs of light emitting diodes so that one pair of the light emitting diodes is supported adjacent a surface of each eye of the wearer;

wherein the light emitting diodes of each pair project a light output that illuminates a different area of the retina of a respective eye and wherein the light emitting diodes of each pair are spaced apart so as to provide a viewing zone therebetween.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the different areas of a respective retina include areas of the peripheral retina, the different areas excluding the macula. (1) (0)

23. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the light emitting diodes have a peak intensity at a wavelength of about 470 nm. (0)

24. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein each light emitting diode is supported adjacent a surface of each eye and arranged so that the light output from each light emitting diode of a pair combine to provide a substantially uniform irradiance of substantially the entire area of the pupil of a respective eye. (1) (0)

26. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein each light emitting diode pair is positioned 10 to 20 degrees below the centre of the monocular visual field of a respective eye. (0)

27. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the light emitting diodes provide an effective intensity at a corneal surface of a respective eye in the range of 1000 lux to 4000 lux. (0)

28. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the electromagnetic energy incident at the pupil of the eye is in the range of 100 uw/cm²to 400 uw/cm². (0)

30. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein each viewing zone has a width that is substantially the same as the diameter of the iris of a respective eye. (0)

31. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the light emitting diodes are supported so as to be located in non homologous areas of the wearer's visual field such that visual obstruction of the monocular visual field of one eye caused by a respective light emitting diode pair is not paired with visual obstruction of the monocular visual field of the other eye caused by the other light emitting diode pair so that binocular obstruction does not occur in any area of the wearer's visual field. (1) (0)

34. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the pairs of light emitting diodes are arranged so that the light emitting diodes are located on a horizontal axis which is located on or below the horizontal centreline of the wearer's monocular visual field. (1) (0)

36. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the light emitting diodes of each pair are spaced apart such that a distance between a midpoint of each viewing zone is substantially the same as the interpupillary distance of the wearer. (0)

37. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein each viewing zone has a midpoint that lies on a vertical centreline that intersects with the centre point of the respective monocular visual field. (0)

38. An apparatus for administering light to effect re-timing of the human body clock, the apparatus including: (2) (3)

a light emitting element associated with each eye of a wearer, each light emitting element having an emission wavelength in the range 450 nm to 530 nm; and

a support member for supporting each light emitting element so that each light emitting element is arranged to illuminate an area of the retina of a respective eye;

wherein the area of a respective retina that is illuminated by a respective light emitting element excludes the macula.

39. An apparatus according to claim 38 wherein each light emitting element is arranged so as to provide a substantially uniform irradiance of substantially the entire area of the pupil of a respective eye (1) (0)

41. An apparatus according to claim 38 wherein the light emitting elements are supported so as to be located in non homologous areas of the wearer's visual field such that visual obstruction of one ocular field caused by a respective light emitting element is not paired with visual obstruction of the other ocular field caused by the other light emitting element so that binocular obstruction does not occur in any area of the wearer's visual field. (0)

42. An apparatus for administering light to effect re-timing of the human body clock, the apparatus including: (2) (3)

a light emitting element associated with each eye of a wearer, each light emitting element having an emission wavelength in the range 450 nm to 530 nm; and

a support member for supporting each light emitting element so that each light emitting element is arranged to illuminate an area of the retina of a respective eye;

wherein the light emitting elements are supported so as to be located in non homologous areas of the wearer's visual field such that visual obstruction of the monocular visual field of one eye caused by a respective light emitting element is not paired with visual obstruction of the monocular visual field of the other eye caused by the other light emitting element so that binocular obstruction does not occur in any area of the wearer's visual field.

43. An apparatus according to claim 42 wherein the area of a respective retina that is illuminated by a respective light emitting element excludes the macula. (0)

44. An apparatus according to claim 42 wherein each light emitting element is arranged so as to provide a substantially uniform irradiance of substantially the entire area of the pupil of a respective eye. (1) (0)

46. An apparatus for administering light to effect re-timing of the human body clock, the apparatus including: (1) (3)

two pairs of light emitting elements having an emission wavelength in the range 450 nm to 530 nm; and

a frame adapted to be worn on the face of a wearer and arranged to support the two pairs of light emitting elements so that one pair of the light emitting elements is supported adjacent a surface of each eye of the wearer such that the light emitting elements of each pair project a light output that illuminates different areas of the peripheral retina;

wherein the light emitting elements of each pair are spaced apart so as to provide a viewing zone therebetween.

47. An apparatus according to claim 46 wherein different areas of the peripheral retina include a nasal area and a lateral area of the peripheral retina. (0)

48. A method of administering light to effect re-timing of the human body clock, the method including illuminating different areas of the peripheral retina of an eye of a wearer using a light emission having a wavelength in the range of 450 nm to 530 nm. (0)

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Application US20060136018

Apparatus for administering light stimulation

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