Claims
- 1. A process for disinfecting a contact lens, comprising
- (A) immersing the lens in a predetermined volume of an aqueous disinfecting solution consisting essentially of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 at a concentration of about 3 wt. % or less which is effective to disinfect the lens in a disinfection period of less than about 6 hours, and
- (B) decomposing the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said disinfecting solution by adding to said solution, before said disinfection period has elapsed, a neutralizer in the form of a tablet or a plurality of particles and comprising
- one or more H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -neutralizing compounds which react with H.sub.2 O.sub.2 to form H.sub.2 O and reaction products which are non-injurious to the eye, in an amount of said one or more compounds effective to react with all the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said solution, and thereby to form an aqueous solution containing said reaction products and having a pH of 6.5 to 8.5 and a tonicity of 200 to 450 milliosmol per kg of solution, and
- a coating encasing said tablet or each of said particles which coating dissolves gradually in said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution, so as to release said one or more H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -neutralizing compounds only after said disinfection period has elapsed,
- whereby said released neutralizing compounds transform said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution in situ into a buffered, saline lens storage solution.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein said disinfection period is less than about 3 hours.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein the concentration of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 is about 1 wt. % or less.
- 4. The process of claim 1 wherein said coating is selected from the group consisting of organically modified cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, and dibutyl phthalate.
- 5. The process of claim 1 wherein said lens and said neutralizer are placed into said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution within 5 minutes of each other.
- 6. The process of claim 1 wherein said lens and said neutralizer are placed into said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution within 1 minute of each other or simultaneously.
- 7. The process of claim 1 wherein the said neutralizer also contains up to about 10 wt. % of a mixture of an acid and a base which react in solution to form CO.sub.2 gas.
- 8. The process of claim 1 wherein the concentration of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said buffered, saline lens storage solution is less than about 40 ppm.
- 9. The process of claim 1 wherein said neutralizer also contains up to about 1 wt. % of a chelating agent and up to about 5 wt. % of a preservative.
- 10. The process of claim 1 wherein said one or more H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -neutralizing compounds comprises sodium thiosulfate or sodium sulfite.
- 11. The process of claim 1 wherein the lens is not removed from said aqueous solution until after the solution has been transformed into a buffered, saline lens storage solution.
- 12. The process of claim 11 wherein the lens and the tablet are sealed together into a closed container containing said disinfecting solution, and the container is not opened again until after said disinfecting solution has been transformed into a buffered, saline lens storage solution.
- 13. A process for disinfecting a contact lens, comprising
- (A) immersing the lens in a predetermined volume of an aqueous disinfecting solution consisting essentially of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 at a concentration of about 3 wt. % or less which is effective to disinfect the lens in a disinfection period of less than about 6 hours, and
- (B) decomposing the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said disinfecting solution by adding to said solution, before said disinfection period has elapsed, a neutralizer in the form of a tablet or a plurality of particles and comprising
- one or more H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -neutralizing compounds which react with H.sub.2 O.sub.2 to form H.sub.2 O and reaction products which are non-injurious to the eye, in an amount of said one or more compounds effective to react with all the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said solution;
- one or more water-soluble agents in an amount thereof effective to provide that an aqueous solution having said predetermined volume and containing said reaction products and said water-soluble agents has a pH of 6.5 to 8.5 and a tonicity of 200 to 450 milliosmol per kg of solution, and
- a coating encasing said tablet or each of said particles which coating dissolves gradually in said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution, so as to release said one or more H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -neutralizing compounds and water-soluble agents only after said disinfection period has elapsed,
- whereby said released neutralizing compounds and agents transform said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution in situ into a buffered, saline lens storage solution.
- 14. The process of claim 13 wherein said water-soluble agents comprise a mixture of sodium borate and boric acid.
- 15. The process of claim 13 wherein the amount of said water-soluble agents is effective to provide that said resulting solution has a pH of about 7.0 to about 7.9.
- 16. The process of claim 13 wherein said coating is selected from the group consisting of organically modified cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, and dibutyl phthalate.
- 17. The process of claim 13 wherein said neutralizer also contains up to about 1 wt. % of a chelating agent and up to about 5 wt. % of a preservative.
- 18. The process of claim 13 wherein the neutralizer also contains up to 10 wt. % of a mixture of an acid and a base which react in solution to form CO.sub.2 gas.
- 19. The process of claim 13 wherein said lens and said neutralizer are placed into said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution within 5 minutes of each other.
- 20. The process of claim 13 wherein said lens and said neutralizer are placed into said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution within 1 minute of each other or simultaneously.
- 21. A kit for disinfecting a contact lens in a predetermined volume of an aqueous disinfecting solution of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 having a predetermined concentration, and for neutralizing the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said solution after a disinfection period which is a function of said predetermined concentration and for transforming the solution in situ into a buffered isotonic lens storage solution; said kit comprising means for washing the lens, and a neutralizer in the form of a tablet or a plurality of particles, wherein said neutralizer comprises
- one or more H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -neutralizing compounds which react with H.sub.2 O.sub.2 to form H.sub.2 O and reaction products which are non-injurious to the eye, in an amount of said one or more compounds effective to react with all the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said disinfecting solution and thereby to form an aqueous solution containing dissolved therein said reaction products and having a pH of 6.5 to 8.5 and a tonicity of 200 to 400 milliosmol per kg of solution, and
- a coating encasing said tablet or each of said particles, which coating is characterized in that when said coated tablet or particles is placed in said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution before the end of said disinfection period, said coating gradually dissolves in the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution, and releases said one or more neutralizing compounds only after said disinfection period has elapsed.
- 22. The kit according to claim 21, which further comprises up to 10 wt. % of an acid and a base which react in solution to form CO.sub.2 gas and water-soluble products which are non-injurious to the eye.
- 23. The kit of claim 22 wherein said acid is selected from the group consisting of citric, tartaric, and malic acids, and said base is sodium bicarbonate.
- 24. The kit of claim 21 wherein said means for washing the lens comprises a container open at its top for receiving said predetermined volume of said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution and a lens case agitator;
- a lidlike member removably mounted on the top end of the container and open at both ends and having a transverse partition intermediate its ends;
- said partition having an aperture extending therethrough;
- a lens case agitator pivotally mounted in said aperture in the partition and extending into said container and having depending lens case supporting means and an upper end extending above the partition and having a spur gear thereon;
- a knoblike member pivotally received in the upper end of the lidlike member and having finger grasp means for rotating the same and internal gear teeth therein;
- planetary gear means pivotally mounted on said transverse top portion of the lidlike member and interposed between said spur gear on the agitator and said internal gear teeth in the knoblike member for imparting rotation to said agitator member whereby a lens carried in said lens case is washed in the liquid in the container; and
- lens case means, attached to said lens case supporting means, for holding a lens in communication with said solution.
- 25. The kit of claim 21 wherein said coating is characterized in that when the neutralizer is placed in said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution up to 5 minutes after the beginning of said disinfection period, said coating dissolves only after said disinfection period has elapsed.
- 26. The kit of claim 21 further comprising a bottle of an aqueous solution of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 having said predetermined concentration.
- 27. A kit for disinfecting a contact lens in a predetermined volume of an aqueous disinfecting solution of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 having a predetermined concentration, and for neutralizing the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said solution after a disinfection period which is a function of said predetermined concentration and for transforming the solution in situ into a buffered isotonic lens storage solution; said kit comprising means for washing the lens, and a neutralizer in the form of a tablet or a plurality of particles, wherein said neutralizer comprises
- one or more H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -neutralizing compounds which react with H.sub.2 O.sub.2 to form H.sub.2 O and reaction products which are non-injurious to the eye, in an amount of said one or more compounds effective to react with all the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said disinfecting solution,
- one or more water-soluble agents in an amount thereof effective to provide that an aqueous solution having said predetermined volume and containing dissolved therein said reaction products and said water-soluble agents has a pH of 6.5 to 8.5 and a tonicity of 200 to 400 milliosmol per kg of solution, and
- a coating encasing said tablet or each of said particles, which coating is characterized in that when said coated tablet or particles is placed in said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution before the end of said disinfection period, said coating gradually dissolves in the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution, and releases said one or more neutralizing compounds and water-soluble agents only after said disinfection period has elapsed.
- 28. The kit according to claim 27 wherein said one or more water-soluble agents are selected from the group consisting of boric acid, sodium borate, and mixtures thereof.
- 29. The kit of claim 27 further comprising a bottle of an aqueous solution of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 having said predetermined concentration.
- 30. A neutralizer suitable for use in a kit for disinfecting a contact lens in a predetermined volume of an aqueous disinfecting solution of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 having a predetermined concentration, and for neutralizing the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said solution after a disinfection period which is a function of said predetermined concentration and for transforming the solution in situ into a buffered isotonic lens storage solution, which kit comprises means for washing the lens, and a neutralizer; which neutralizer is in the form of a tablet or a plurality of particles and comprises
- one or more H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -neutralizing compounds which react with H.sub.2 O.sub.2 to form H.sub.2 O and reaction products which are non-injurious to the eye, in an amount of said one or more compounds effective to react with all the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said disinfecting solution and thereby to form an aqueous solution containing dissolved therein said reaction products and having a pH of 6.5 to 8.5 and a tonicity of 200 to 400 milliosmol per kg of solution, and
- a coating encasing said tablet or each of said particles which coating is characterized in that when said coated tablet or particles is placed in said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution before the end of said disinfection period, said coating gradually dissolves in the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution, and releases said one or more neutralizing compounds only after said disinfection period has elapsed.
- 31. The neutralizer according to claim 30, which further comprises up to 10 wt. % of an acid and a base which react in solution to form CO.sub.2 gas and water-soluble products which are non-injurious to the eye.
- 32. The neutralizer of claim 31 wherein said acid is selected from the group consisting of citric, tartaric, and malic acids, and said base is sodium bicarbonate.
- 33. The neutralizer of claim 30 wherein said coating is characterized in that when the neutralizer is placed in said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution up to 5 minutes after the beginning of said disinfection period, said coating dissolves only after said disinfection period has elapsed.
- 34. A neutralizer suitable for use in a kit for disinfecting a contact lens in a predetermined volume of an aqueous disinfecting solution of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 having a predetermined concentration, and for neutralizing the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said solution after a disinfection period which is a function of said predetermined concentration and for transforming the solution in situ into a buffered isotonic lens storage solution, which kit comprises means for washing the lens, and a neutralizer; which neutralizer is in the form of a tablet or a plurality of particles and comprises
- one or more H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -neutralizing compounds which react with H.sub.2 O.sub.2 to form H.sub.2 O and reaction products which are non-injurious to the eye, in an amount of said one or more compounds effective to react with all the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in said disinfecting solution,
- one or more water-soluble agents in an amount thereof effective to provide that an aqueous solution having said predetermined volume and containing dissolved therein said reaction products and said water-soluble agents has a pH of 6.5 to 8.5 and a tonicity of 200 to 400 milliosmol per kg of solution, and
- a coating encasing said tablet or each of said particles which coating is characterized in that when said coated tablet or particles is placed in said H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution before the end of said disinfection period, said coating gradually dissolves in the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution, and releases said one or more neutralizing compounds and water-soluble agents only after said disinfection period has elapsed.
- 35. The neutralizer according to claim 34 wherein said one or more water-soluble agents are selected from the group consisting of boric acid sodium borate, and mixtures thereof.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of our previous application Ser. No. 526,568, filed Aug. 25, 1983, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0082798 |
Jun 1983 |
EPX |
2309240 |
Dec 1976 |
FRX |
1464333 |
Feb 1977 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Gasset, A. R., et al., "Hydrogen Peroxide Sterilization of Hydrophilic Contact Lenses", Arch. Ophthalmol., vol. 93, pp. 412-415 (Jun. 1975). |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
526568 |
Aug 1983 |
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