Punctum dilating and plug inserting instrument with push-button plug release

Claim 1

A combination of a punctum plug and an instrument for retaining and releasing said punctum plug, comprising: an elongated body having a forward end and a rear end, said elongated body having a recess extending longitudinally thereon; a punctum plug positioned against said forward end of said body; an elongated button positioned within said recess and flush with an outer surface of said elongated body, said button having a fixed end fixedly attached to said elongated body at one end of said recess and a slidable end slidable along said recess, said fixed end being positioned between said slidable end and said forward end of said body, said button having an outwardly bowing inner surface spaced from a bottom surface of said recess, so that when said button is depressed, said outwardly bowing inner surface is moved inwardly against said bottom surface of said recess, and said slidable end is moved longitudinally along said body away from said fixed end; and a wire slidably positioned longitudinally along said body, said wire having an outer end extending from said forward end of said body and frictionally fitted in a mounting hole in said punctum plug, said wire having an inner end fixedly attached to said slidable end of said button, so that before said button is depressed, said punctum plug is retained against said forward end of said body by said wire, and when said button is depressed, said wire is pulled by said slidable end of said button away from said mounting hole of said punctum plug to release said punctum plug from said instrument.