Method of cleaning soft contact lenses

• US 4,504,405 A
• Filed: 11/08/1982
• Issued: 03/12/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chauvin Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Smith and Nephew Associated Companies PLC
• Inventors: Howes, John G. B.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIS JR, PRINCE E
• Application Number:
  US06/439,780
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 252/106, 252/544, 252/DIG. 14, 424/326, 424/78, 134/26, 134/42
• US Class Current: 134/26
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 2300/00 Combinations or mixtures of active ingredients covered by classes A01N27/00 - A01N65/48 with other active or formulation relevant ingredients, e.g. specific carrier materials or surfactants, covered by classes A01N25/00 - A01N65/48
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 47/44 Guanidine; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 12/141 Biguanides, e.g. chlorhexidine
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/008 Polymeric surface-active agents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/66 Non-ionic compounds C11D1/002, C11D1/004, C11D1/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/722 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols having mixed oxyalkylene groups; Polyalkoxylated fatty alcohols or polyalkoxylated alkylaryl alcohols with mixed oxyalkylele groups C11D1/721 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0078 Compositions for cleaning contact lenses, spectacles or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3707 Polyethers, e.g. polyalkyleneoxides
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/48 Medical, disinfecting agents, disinfecting, antibacterial, germicidal or antimicrobial compositions

Abstract

A substantially isotonic aqueous solution suitable for the cleaning of soft and gas permeable contact lenses which solution comprises a sterile aqueous solution of 0.01 to 2% of an ophthalmically acceptable non-ionic surface active agent, 0.0012 to 0.003% of a chlorhexidine salt and sufficient tonicity adjusting agent not containing ionic species producing a tonicity equivalent to more than a 0.3% solution of sodium chloride.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning a soft contact lens which method comprises placing a cleaning solution in a suitable container, immersing the lens in the solution, closing the container, shaking together the lens and the solution, removing the lens and rinsing it with saline solution, said cleaning solution comprising a substantially isotonic aqueous solution having little or no propensity to cause ocular irritation said solution comprising a sterile aqueous solution of 0.01 to 20% of an ophthalmically acceptable non-ionic surface active agent, 0.0012 to 0.003% of a chlorhexidine salt selected from the gluconate or acetate salts, and a sufficient amount of tonicity adjusting agent to render the solution substantially isotonic, said tonicity and adjusting agent containing ionic species producing a tonicity equivalent to not more than 0.3% solution of sodium chloride, said non-ionic tonicity agent is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, glycerol, glucose, lactose, mannitol and urea.

3. A method of cleaning a contact lens according to claim 1 or 2 in which the sterile aqueous solution contains from 0.0015 to 0.002% of chlorhexidine gluconate.

4. A method of cleaning a contact lens according to claim 1 or 2 in which the sterile aqueous solution is free from ionic species other than those arising from the chlorhexidine salt.

5. A method of cleaning a contact lens according to claim 1 or 2 in which the non-ionic tonicity adjusting agent is propylene glycol.

6. A method of cleaning a contact lens according to claim 1 or 2 in which the sterile aqueous solution contains from 0.1 to 5% of an ophtalmically acceptable non-ionic surface active agent.

7. A method of cleaning a contact lens according to claim 6 in which the non-ionic surface active agent is a poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxypropylene)-block copolymer having a molecular weight of between 1900 and 15500.

8. A method of cleaning a contact lens according to claim 1 or 2 in which the sterile aqueous solution additionally contains from 0.05 to 10% of a water soluble viscosity increasing agent.

9. A method of cleaning a contact lens according to claim 8 in which the water soluble viscosity increasing agent is a hydroxyethyl cellulose.

2. A method of cleaning a soft contact lens which method comprises placing a cleaning solution in the hand, placing the lens in the solution, rubbing in turn each surface of the lens between the fingers and palm of the hand and rinsing the lens with a saline solution, said cleaning solution comprising a substantially isotonic aqueous solution having little or no propensity to cause ocular irritation, said solution comprising a sterile aqueous solution of 0.01 to 20% of an ophthalmically acceptable non-ionic surface active agent, 0.0012 to 0.003% of a chlorhexidine salt selected from the gluconate or acetate salts, and a sufficient amount of tonicity adjusting agent to render the solution substantially isotonic, said tonicity adjusting agent containing ionic species producing a tonicity equivalent to not more than 0.3% solution of sodium chloride, said non-ionic tonicity agent is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, glycerol, glucose, lactose, mannitol and urea.

10. A method of cleaning a soft contact lens which method comprises placing a cleaning solution in a suitable container, immersing the lens in the solution, closing the container, shaking together the lens and the solution, removing the lens and rinsing it with saline solution, said cleaning solution comprising a substantially isotonic aqueous solution having little or no propensity to cause ocular irritation, said solution comprising a sterile aqueous solution of 0.01 to 20% of an ophthalmically acceptable non-ionic surface active agent, 0.0012 to 0.003% of a chlorhexidine salt selected from the gluconate or acetate salts, an amount of a second antibacterial agent such that the concentration of chlorhexidine salt and antibacterial agent does not exceed 0.0035% of the solution and a sufficient amount of tonicity adjusting agent to render the solution substantially isotonic, said tonicity adjusting agent containing ionic species producing a tonicity equivalent to not more than 0.3% solution of sodium chloride, said non-ionic tonicity agent is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, glycerol, glucose, lactose, mannitol and urea.

12. A method of cleaning a contact lens according to claim 10 or 11 in which the solution contains from 0.00025 to 0.0025% of thiomersal as the antibacterial agent.

13. A method of cleaning a contact lens according to claim 10 or 11 in which the aqueous sterile solution additionally contains from 0.05 to 10% of a water soluble viscosity increasing agent.

11. A method of cleaning a soft contact lens which method comprises placing cleaning solution in the hand, placing the lens in the solution, rubbing in turn each surface of the lens between the finger and palm of the hand and rinsing the lens with a saline solution, said cleaning solution comprising a substantially isotonic aqueous solution having little or no propensity to cause ocular irritation, said solution comprising a sterile aqueous solution of 0.01 to 20% of an ophthalmically acceptable non-ionic surface active agent, 0.0012 to 0.003% of a chlorhexidine salt selected from the gluconate or acetate salts, an amount of a second antibacterial agent such that the concentration of chlorhexidine salt and antibacterial agent does not exceed 0.0035% of the solution and a sufficient amount of tonicity adjusting agent to render the solution substantially isotonic, said tonicity adjusting agent containing ionic species producing a tonicity equivalent to not more than 0.3% solution of sodium chloride, said non-ionic tonicity agent is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, glyercol, glucose, lactose, mannitol and urea.