Treatment of contact lenses with an aqueous solution including sulfobetaine compounds

• US 5,765,579 A
• Filed: 01/30/1997
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bausch & Lomb Incorporated (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bausch & Lomb Incorporated (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Groemminger, Suzanne F., Heiler, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SNAY, JEFFREY R
• Application Number:
  US08/795,048
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 134/42, 134/901, 514/839, 514/840, 436/18, 510/112
• US Class Current: 134/42
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 12/142 Polymeric biguanides
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 12/143 Quaternary ammonium compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/92 Sulfobetaines ; Sulfitobetaines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0078 Compositions for cleaning contact lenses, spectacles or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/901 Contact lens

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for treating contact lenses and compositions for the same. The present invention includes contacting a lens with an aqueous solution comprising a sulfobetaine compound represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein: R₁ is an alkyl group having from 8 to 30 carbon atoms, R₂ and R₃ are individually hydrogen or alkyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R₄ is an alkyl group having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the subject compounds are used in combination with antimicrobial agents for providing simultaneous disinfection and cleaning of contact lenses.

Claims

1. A method for treating contact lenses comprising contacting a lens with an aqueous solution comprising

(a) at least about 0.01 percent by weight of a sulfobetaine compound represented by the formula:

##STR5## wherein;

R₁ is an alkyl group having from 8 to 30 carbon atoms, R₂ and R₃ are individually hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R₄ is an alkyl group having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein R₁ is an aliphatic alkyl group having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein R₁ is an aliphatic alkyl group having 10 carbon atoms.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein R₂ and R₃ are both methyl groups.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein R₄ is an aliphatic alkyl group having 3 carbon atoms.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sulfobetaine compound comprises N-decyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propane-sulfonate.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the solution further comprises an antimicrobial agent.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the solution includes polyaminopropyl biguanide.

9. The method of claim 1 comprising the sequential steps of:

rubbing the lens with the solution, followed by immersing the lens within the solution.