The Device
This device is designed to provide a comfortable and unobtrusive prop for those whose eyelids tend to droop or even close completely, a fairly common symptom of neuromuscular defect in Myasthenia Gravis.
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| Fig 1. The loop in Position |
| Please click the graphic to see a larger version. |
As shown in Fig 1, the loop is made in the form or a large circle of stainless steel wire about the same size as the spectacle lens, so that the wearer looks through the middle of the loop. The upper part of the loop, which bears lightly on the eyelid, is fitted with a short piece of silicone rubber tubing to keep the necessary gentle "tacky" grip on the skin of the eyelid. The rubber sleeve is kept short to be as inconspicuous as possible when tucked into the fold of the eyelid and is kept in position from rotating by two slight kinks formed in the wire.
The loop is fitted to the spectacles by drilling two small holes in the frame and pressing the ends of the loop into them, the ends of the wire being specially shaped so that the loop cannot fall out in use.
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| Fig 2. Loops Used with Retraction Catches |
| Please click the graphic to see a larger version. |
For those who wish to relieve their eyes from the pressure of the prop for any reason, either loop may be hooked back out of contact with the eyelid by means of a simple "parking" catch as shown in Fig 2. Retracting one loop is one way of dealing with double vision combined with ptosis. The author wears a shield or occluder, sliding it from side to side to deal with this.