MXPA00005105A - Contact lens cleaning compositions - Google Patents

Abstract

Solutions useful to clean contact lenses include a surfactant component in an effective amount;and a viscosity inducing component, preferably selected from cellulosic derivatives and more preferably hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, in an effective amount. Such solutions, which may include one or more additional components, have substantial contact lens cleaning benefits which, ultimately, lead to ocular health advantages and avoidance of problems caused by contact lens wear.

Description

COMPOSITIONS £ ^ gIA) ORAS OF CONTACT LENSES BACKGROUND BB "-1A INVENTION The present invention relates to compositions for treating, for example, cleaning, disinfecting, soaking, conditioning and wetting contact lenses. More particularly, the invention relates to multi-purpose solutions useful for treating contact lenses, for example, for removing contact lens reservoir material, for disinfecting contact lenses, for rinsing, conditioning and / or wetting contact lenses and similar, which provides substantial treatment of contact lenses, for example cleaning, benefit to the users of such solutions. Contact lenses should be treated periodically, eg, cleaned, disinfected, rinsed and the like, on a regular basis due to the tendency for a variety of microbes and other materials to accumulate on the lenses and / or the need to provide the lenses with a suitable condition for a safe and comfortable use. Fu, U.S. patent 4,323,467 describes aqueous compositions combining ethylenediamine surfactants substituted with poly (oxyethylene) -poly (oxypropylene), certain accumulators REF .: 119958 of polymer viscosity derived from cellulose, germicidal agents, tonicity agents, sequestering agents and water to treat rigid contact lenses. The Fu patent does not disclose the use of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) or any specific buffer. British Patent 1,432,345 discloses a contact lens disinfecting composition that includes an ophthalmically acceptable biguanide in a total amount from 0.0005% to 0.05% by weight. This British patent discloses that the solution preferably has a pH from 5 to 8 and uses a phosphate buffer. The patent also describes the use of additional bactericides, certain thickeners derived from cellulose and nonionic surfactants, as well as disodium EDTA in concentrations of at least 0.1%. This patent does not disclose the use of HPMC. Ogunbiyi et al, U.S. Patent No. 4,758,595 describes an aqueous solution of a biguanide in an amount of 0.000001 to 0.0003 weight percent, in combination with a borate buffer system, EDTA and one or more surfactants. This patent is from U.S. additionally it discloses that certain viscosity binders derived from cellulose can be included. Mowrey-McKee et al, U.S. Patent 5,422,073 discloses a solution for the care of contact lenses including tromethamine, chelating agents, PHMB, surfactants and certain viscosity-inducing agents derived from cellulose. This patent does not specifically describe the use of HPMC. there is still the need to provide new systems for the treatment of contact lenses, for example, multiple-purpose solutions, which provide one or more benefits, for example, a more effective cleaning of contact lenses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION New compositions have been discovered for treating contact lenses. The present compositions, for example, aqueous contact lens cleaning solutions and multi-purpose aqueous solutions, include surfactant components in effective amounts to remove contact lens deposit materials that come into contact with the composition, and effective amounts of viscosity-inducing components, preferably HPMC in an amount in a range from about 0.05% to about 0.5% (w / v). The present compositions containing HPMC preferably have an increased or improved effectiveness for removing the deposit material from the contact lenses that come into contact with the compositions, in relation to similar compositions without the HPMC.

Surprisingly and icions, in view of the prior art mentioned above, which describes the use of poly? ß or ^ ^ viscosity cumulators derived from addition, the compositions of the present invention preferably include antimicrobial components, in combination with buffers to provide the desired effectiveness in antimicrobial activity and performance. The inclusion of one or more additional components in the present compositions is effective to provide additional beneficial properties to the compositions. The present compositions, in addition to being effective for cleaning contact lenses, preferably have a multitude of applications, for example as disinfectants, rinsing material, wetting and conditioning compositions for the care of contact lenses. The present compositions promote regular and consistent care of contact lenses and ultimately lead to or facilitate better eye health. Any suitable, preferably ophthalmically acceptable surfactant component which is effective for cleaning contact lenses can be used. Preferably, the surfactant component is nonionic and, more preferably, is selected from polymers of 4- (1, 1, 3, 3-tetramet? Lbutyl) phenol / poly (oxyethylene), poly block copolymers -poly (oxypropylene) and mixtures thereof. Although any suitable viscosity inducer or thickening agent, for example ophthalmically acceptable, may be included in the compositions, the viscosity-inducing component is preferably selected from cellulose derivatives and mixtures thereof, and more preferably HPMC. The viscosity-inducing component is preferably present in an amount in the range of about 0.05% to about 0.5% (w / v). Without wishing to limit the invention to any particular theory of operation, it is considered that the present of a viscosity-inducing component helps at least in providing the present compositions with improved reactive initiator properties for contact lenses. Passive cleaning refers to the cleaning which occurs during the soaking of a contact lens, without mechanical or enzymatic improvement. In particular, it has unexpectedly been found that the present compositions with HPMC present are more effective in the passive cleaning of contact lenses in relation to similar compositions without HPMC. The present combinations of components, which include such viscosity-inducing components, are effective in providing the improved degree of cleaning of the contact lenses described herein.

In one embodiment of the present invention, multi-purpose solutions for the care of contact lenses are provided, such solutions comprise an aqueous liquid medium, a non-oxidative antimicrobial component in an amount effective to disinfect the contact lenses that are put on. in contact with the solution: a surfactant in an amount effective to clean contact lenses that come in contact with the solution, a buffering component, preferably a phosphate buffering component in an amount effective to maintain the pH of the solution within a physiologically acceptable range, a viscosity-inducing component, preferably HPMC, present in an effective amount, and a tonicity component in an amount effective to provide the desired tonicity to the solution.The antimicrobial component can be any suitable material, preferably ophthalmically acceptable , effective to disinfect lens s of contact that are put in contact with the present solution. In one embodiment, the antimicrobial component is non-oxidative. Preferably, the non-oxidative antimicrobial component is selected from biguanides, biguanide polymers, salts thereof and mixtures thereof, and is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.1 ppm to about 3 ppm or less than 5 ppm (p. / v). The preferred concentration ^. ^ To *.

Relatively reduced éfel - antimicrobial component has been found to be very effective, in the present compositions, to disinfect contact lenses that come into contact with the compositions, while at the same time promoting the comfort and acceptability of the lens wearer / user. Although any suitable tonicity component, preferably ophthalmically acceptable, can be used, a very useful tonicity component is sodium chloride or a combination of sodium chloride and potassium chloride. Preferably, the present compositions include an effective amount of a chelating component.

Any suitable chelating component, preferably ophthalmically acceptable, can be included in the present compositions, although ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), salts thereof and mixtures thereof are particularly effective. Various combinations of two or more of the components indicated above can be used to provide at least one of the benefits described thus far. Therefore, each of the combinations is included within the scope of the present invention. This and other aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description, examples and claims.

- 'B - The present invention is directed to useful solutions for cleaning contact lenses and multi-purpose solutions useful for treating, for example, cleaning, disinfecting, soaking, rinsing, wetting, conditioning and the like, contact lenses. Any contact lens, for example conventional hard contact lenses, rigid and soft gas permeable contact lenses, hydrophilic or hydrogel contact lenses, can be treated in accordance with the present invention. The present compositions, preferably solutions, useful for cleaning contact lenses comprise an aqueous liquid medium, a surfactant component in an amount effective to remove the deposit material from the contact lenses that come into contact with the composition, and an amount effective of a viscosity-inducing component, preferably HPMC in an amount in the range of about 0.05% to about 0.5% (w / v). In one embodiment, the present compositions, preferably solutions, comprise a liquid aqueous medium; a non-oxidative antimicrobial component in the liquid aqueous medium in an amount effective to disinfect contact lenses that come into contact with the composition; nonionic surfactant, a component in an effective amount to clean or remove contact lens reservoir material that is contacted by a buffering component, eg, phosphate buffer, in an amount effective to maintain the pH of the composition within a physiologically acceptable range; an effective amount of a viscosity-inducing component, preferably HPMC; and an effective amount of a tonicity component. The present compositions preferably include an effective amount of a chelating or sequestering component, more preferably in a range of less than 0.1% (w / v). Each of the components in the concentration used, included in the compositions and formulated compositions of the present invention are preferably ophthalmically acceptable. In addition, each of the components in the concentration used, included in the present compositions, is preferably soluble in the liquid aqueous medium. A composition or component thereof is "ophthalmically acceptable" when compatible with ocular tissue, that is, it does not cause significant or undue harmful effects when contacted with ocular tissue. Preferably, each component of the present compositions also & compatible with the other components of the present compositions. The surfactant component is present in an effective amount for cleaning * :, this is, at least facilitates the removal, and preferably is effective for removing debris or deposit material from a contact lens that comes into contact with the solution containing surfactant. Exemplary surfactant components include, but are not limited to, nonionic surfactants, for example polysorbates (such as polysorbate 20-trademark Tween 20), 4- (1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl) phenol polymer (such as polymer sold under the tradename Tyloxapol), block copolymers of poly (oxyethylene) -poly (oxypropylene), glycol esters of fatty acids and the like, and mixtures thereof. The surfactant component is more preferably non-ionic, and even more preferably selected from polymers of 4- (1, 1,3,3-tetrabutyl) phenol / poly (oxyethylene), poly (oxyethylene) block copolymers ) -poly (oxypropylene) and mixtures thereof. Such block copolymers can be obtained commercially from BASF Corporation under the trade name Pluronic7, and can generally be described as polyoxyethylene / polyoxypropylene condensation polymers terminated in primary hydroxyl groups. They can be synthesized by first creating a desired M w or molecular weight by the controlled addition of propylene oxide to the two hydroxyl groups of propylene glycol. In the second synthesis step, ethylene oxide is added for interposition of this hydrophobe between hydrophilic groups. According to a more preferred embodiment of the invention, such block copolymers are suitable to have molecular weights in the range of about 2,500 to 13,000 daltons, over a molecular weight range of about 6,000 to about 12,000 daltons, even more preferably. Specific examples of surfactants which are satisfactory and include: poloxamer 108, poloxamer 188, poloxamer 237, poloxamer 238, poloxamer 288 and poloxamer 407. The amount of surfactant component present varies from a wide range, depending on several factors, for example, the surfactant or specific surfactants that are used, the other components in the composition and the like. Frequently, the amount of surfactant is in the range of from about 0.005% or about 0.01% to about 0.1%, or about 0.5% or about 0.8% (w / v). The viscosity-inducing component is effective to improve and / or prolong the cleaning and wetting activity of the surfactant component and / or condition the surface of the lenses (less lipophilic) and / or to act as a demulcent in the eye. The increase in film in the treated contact lens. The component that induces viscosity can also act to cushion the impact on the surface of the eye during insertion and also serves to alleviate eye irritation. Suitable viscosity inducing components include, but are not limited to natural water-soluble gums, cellulose-derived polymers and the like. Useful natural gums include guar gum, tragacanth gum and the like. Useful cellulose-derived viscosity-inducing components include cellulose-derived polymers such as hydroxypropylcellulose, HPMC, carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, and the like. More preferably, the viscosity inducing agent is selected from cellulose derivatives (polymers) and mixtures thereof. A very useful viscosity-inducing component is HPMC. The viscosity-inducing component, and in particular HPMC, has been found to improve the ability of the present compositions to clean, for example, passive cleaning (ie, without manual rubbing), of contact lenses. ^^^^^^^^^ ü¡ ^ n ^^^^^ The viscosity-inducing component is used in an effective amount to increase the viscosity of the solution, preferably at a viscosity in the range of about 1.5 to about 30. , or even as high as about 750 cps at 25 ° C, preferably determined by USP Test Method No. 911 (USP 23, 1995). The amount of the viscosity-inducing component is preferably in the range of about 0.01% to about 5% (w / v), amounts of about 0.05% to about 0.5% being further referred to. The present compositions preferably further comprise effective amounts of one or more additional components, such as an antimicrobial component; a cushion component; a chelating or sequestering component; a tonicity component, and the like, and mixtures thereof. The additional component or components may be selected from materials which are known to be useful in contact lens care compositions and which include effective amounts to provide the desired effect or benefit. When an additional component is included, it is preferably compatible under typical conditions of use and storage with the other components of the composition. For example, the above-mentioned additional component or components are preferably substantially of the surfactant and the viscosity-inducing components described herein.

They include chemical substances that derive their antimicrobial activity through chemical or physicochemical interaction with microbes or microorganisms, such as those that contaminate contact lenses. Suitable antimicrobial components are those generally used in ophthalmic applications and include, but are not limited to, quaternary ammonium salts used in ophthalmic applications such as poly [dimethylimino-2-butene-1,4-diyl] chloride, alpha-dichloride. [-tris (2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium] (chemical registration number 75345-27-6, available under the trademark Polyquaternium 17 from Onyx Corporation), tromethamine, benzalkonium halide and biguanides, such as alexidine salts, alexidine free base, chlorhexidine salts, hexamethylene biguadins and its polymers, and salts thereof, antimicrobial polypeptides, chlorine dioxide precursors and the like, and mixtures thereof. Generally, polymers of hexamethylene biguanides (PHMB), also referred to as polyaminopropylbiguanide (PAPB) have molecular weights of up to about 100,000. Such biguanide polymers are known and described in Ogunbiyi et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,595, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. present liquid aqueous in concentrations in the range of about 0.00001% to about 2% (w / v). More preferably, the antimicrobial component is present in the liquid aqueous medium at an ophthalmically acceptable or safe concentration so that the user can remove the disinfected lenses from the liquid aqueous medium and subsequently directly place the lenses in the eyes for safe and comfortable use. Suitable antimicrobial components for inclusion in the present invention include precursors of chlorine dioxide. Specific examples of chlorine dioxide precursors include stabilized chlorine dioxide (SCD), metal chlorites such as alkali metal chlorite and alkaline earth metal chlorite, and the like, and mixtures thereof. Technical grade sodium chlorite is a very useful precursor of chlorine dioxide. Also included are chlorine dioxide-containing complexes such as complexes of chlorine dioxide with carbonate, chlorine dioxide with bicarbonate, and mixtures thereof, as precursors of chlorine dioxide. The exact chemical composition of many chlorine dioxide precursors, for example, SCD and the chlorine dioxide complexes, is not fully understood. The manufacture or production of certain dioxide precursors? of chlorine is described in McNicholas in US Patent 3,278,447, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety as specific for useful SCD products including those sold under the trademark Dura Klor by Rio Linda Chemical Company, Inc., and those sold under the trademark Anthium Dioxide by International Dioxide, Inc. If a chlorine dioxide precursor is included in the present compositions, it is preferably present in an effective amount to disinfect contact lenses Such effective disinfecting concentrations preferably fall within the range from about 0.002 to about 0.06% (w / v) of the present compositions Such chlorine dioxide precursors can be used in combination with other antimicrobial components, such as biguanides, biguanide polymers, salts thereof and mixtures thereof In the event that chlorine dioxide precursors are used as antimicrobial components s, the compositions preferably have an osmolarity of at least about 200 mOsmol / kg and are buffered to maintain the pH within an acceptable physiological range, e.g., a range of about 6 to about 10.

It has been found that small amounts of non-oxidizing antimicrobial components, for example in a range of about 0 1 ppm to about 3 ppm or less than 5 ppm (w / v), in present compositions, are effective to disinfect contact lenses and reduce the risk that such antimicrobial components cause discomfort and / or eye irritation. Such a reduced concentration of antimicrobial component is very useful when the antimicrobial component used is selected from biguanides, biguanide polymers, salts thereof and mixtures thereof. When it is desired to disinfect a contact lens by the present compositions, an amount of the antimicrobial component effective to disinfect the lenses is used. Preferably, such an effective amount of the antimicrobial component reduces the antimicrobial support or load on the contact lenses in a logarithmic order, in 3 hours. More preferably, an effective amount of the disinfectant reduces the microbial load in a logarithmic order, in 1 hour. The buffering component is present in an amount effective to maintain the pH of the composition or solution in the desired range, for example in a physiologically acceptable range of about 4 or about 5, or about 6 or about 8 or about 9 oa! In particular, the solution preferably has a pH in the range of preferably 6 to about 8. Any material can be used which is optically acceptable and has a buffer in the present applications. Such buffers may include organic materials such as tromethamine and the like, inorganic materials such as phosphates, borates, carbonates and the like, and mixtures thereof. Particularly useful phosphate buffing components include one or more phosphate buffers, for example, combinations of monobasic phosphates, dibasic phosphates and the like, such as those selected from the alkali metal and / or alkaline earth metal phosphate salts. Examples of suitable phosphate buffers include one or more sodium dibasic phosphate (Na HPO), sodium monobasic phosphate (NaH, PO!) And potassium monobasic phosphate (KH POJ) The buffering components present are often used in amounts in a range of about 0.01% or about 0.02% to about 1% or about 2% (w / v) or more, preferably a chelating or sequestering component is included in an effective amount to improve the effectiveness of the antimicrobial component and / or to form complexes with metal ions to provide more effective lens cleaning. A wide range of organic acids, amines or compounds which include an acidic group and an amine function are capable of acting as chelating components in the present compositions, For example, nitrilotriacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentacid, etc. are useful as chelating components. Ethyl, hydroxyethylene diamine triacetic acid, 1,2-di ami nocyclohexane t e r a c a c t i c o t, hydroxyethylamin diacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and its salts, polyfathers, citric acid and its salts, tartaric acid and its salts and the like and mixtures thereof. Ethyleneamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and alkali metal salts are preferred, with the EDTA disodium salt, also known as disodium edetate, being particularly preferred. The chelating component is preferably present in an effective amount, for example in a range of about 0.01% and about 1% (w / v) of the solution. In a very useful embodiment, particularly when the chelating component is EDTA, salts thereof and mixtures thereof, a reduced amount is used, for example, in the range of less than about 0.1% (w / v). Such small amounts of chelating component has been found -r- & rlí * ^ which are effective in the present compositions while, at the same time, provide discomfort and / or reduced eye irritation. The liquid aqueous medium used is selected so as not to have a substantial harmful effect on the lenses being treated, or on the wearer of the treated lenses. The liquid medium is constituted to allow, or even facilitate, the treatment or treatments of the lenses, by the present compositions. Advantageously, the liquid aqueous medium has an osmolarity in the range of at least about 200 mOsmol / kg for example, about 300 or about 350 to about 400 mOsmol / kg. The liquid aqueous medium more preferably is substantially isotonic or hypertonic (eg, slightly hypertonic) and / or ophthalmically acceptable. The liquid aqueous medium preferably includes an effective amount of a tonicity component to provide the liquid medium with the desired tonicity. Such tonicity components may be present in the liquid aqueous medium and / or may be introduced into the liquid aqueous medium. Among the suitable tonicity adjustment components that can be used are those conventionally used in contact lens care products, such as various inorganic salts. Sodium chloride and / or potassium citrate and the like with very useful tonicity components. The amount of tonicity component included is effective to provide the desired degree of tonicity to the skin. Such amount may be, for example, in the range of from about 0.4% to about 1.5% (w / v). If a combination of sodium chloride and potassium chloride is used, it is preferred that the weight ratio of sodium chloride to potassium chloride be in the range of about 3 to about 6 or about 8. Methods for treating lenses of contact using the compositions described herein are included within the scope of the invention. Such methods comprise contacting the contact lenses with such a composition under effective conditions to provide the desired treatment to the contact lenses. The contact temperature is preferably in the range from about 0 ° C to about 100 ° C, and more preferably in the range from about 10 ° C to about 60 ° C, and even more preferably in the range of about 15 ° C to approximately 30 ° C. The contact at room temperature or very close to this temperature is very convenient and useful. The contact is preferably produced at or approximately at atmospheric pressure. The contact preferably occurs for a time in the range of about 5 minutes or about 1 hour to about 12 hours or more. Contact lenses can be brought into contact with the liquid aqueous medium by immersing the lenses in the medium. During at least a portion of the contact, the liquid medium containing the contact lenses can be agitated, for example, by stirring the container containing the liquid aqueous medium and contact lenses to at least facilitate the removal of deposited material. in the lenses. After this contact step, the contact lenses can be manually rubbed to remove additional deposit material from the lenses. The cleaning method may also include rinsing the lenses substantially free of the liquid aqueous medium before returning the lenses to the user's eyes: The following non-limiting examples illustrate certain aspects of the present invention.

EXAMPLE 1 A solution is prepared by combining the following components: PHMB 1 ppm (w / v) (polyhexamethylenebiguanide) EDTA disodium 0.05% (w / v) Tyloxapol 0.025% (w / v) Trometamma 1.2% (w / v) HPMC 0.15% (w / v) (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose) Sodium chloride 0.37% (p / v) Water (USP) QS 100% pH (adjusted with HCl) 7. 5 Approximately 3 (three) ml of this solution is introduced into a lens bottle containing lipid contact lenses, charged with oily, hydrophilic or soft deposits. Contact lenses are kept in this solution at room temperature for at least about 4 (four) hours. This treatment is effective to disinfect contact lenses. In addition, it is found that a substantial portion of the deposits previously present on the lenses has been removed. This shows that this solution has a substantial passive cleaning capacity over contact lenses. After this time, the lenses are removed from the solution and placed in the eyes of lens wearers for safe and comfortable use. Alternatively, after ^ - ^ ^ * the lenses are removed * and the solution is rinsed with another quantity of this solution and the rinsed lenses are then placed over the eyes of the lens pot for safe and comfortable use.

EXAMPLE 2 Example 1 is repeated except that the lenses are rubbed and rinsed with a different amount of the solution before they are placed in the lens bottle. After at least approximately 4 (four) hours, the lenses are removed from the solution. The lenses are then placed in the eyes of the user of the lenses for safe and comfortable use.

EXAMPLE 3 The solution of Example 1 is used as a long term soaking medium for hydrophilic contact lenses. Therefore, approximately 3 (three) ml of this solution is placed in a bottle and the contact lenses are kept in the solution at room temperature for approximately sixty (60) hours. After the soaking period, the lenses are removed from the solution and placed in the eyes of the lens holder for safe and comfortable use. Alternatively, after the lenses are removed from the solution, they are rinsed with another amount of this solution and the rinsed lenses are then placed in the eyes of the wearer of the ingredients for safe and comfortable use.

EXAMPLE 4 Hydrophilic contact lenses ready for use.

In order to facilitate such use, one or two drops of the solution of Example 1 are placed on the lenses immediately before placing the lenses in the eyes of the lens wearer. The use of these lenses is comfortable and safe.

EXAMPLE 5 A lens wearer using contact lenses applies one or two drops of the solution of Example 1 to the eye that will carry the lens. This produces a rewet of the lenses and provides a comfortable and safe use of the lenses.

EXAMPLE 6 A series of tests are carried out to evaluate the passive cleaning capacity for contact lenses of the solution prepared according to example 1, in comparison with other solutions. The first of these additional solutions, referred to below as composition A, is similar to the solution prepared according to example 1, except that HPMC is not included. The second of these additional solutions, hereinafter referred to as composition B, sold under the trade name ReNu7 by Bausch & Lomb includes 0.5 ppm PHMB, an ethylenediamine surfactant substituted with poly (oxyethylene) -poly (oxypropylene), a borate buffer system, 0.1% disodium EDTA, and sodium chloride as a tonicity agent. The remaining additional solutions are as follows: Composition C is sold by Alcon under the trademark Opti-FreeM. Composition D is sold by Ciba Vision Care under the trademark Solo Care ^ suave. Composition E is a saline solution sold by Allergan under the trademark Lens PlusMR. Each of these compositions is tested to evaluate its passive cleaning ability, specifically its ability to passively remove dirt containing contact lens fluids.

These tests are carried out as follows. Lipid soiling is prepared by combining one part by weight of Apiezon AP 101, 1.38 parts by weight of paraffm oil and 0.01 parts by weight of red oil O. A red greasy mixture is produced. This dirt is deposited by first coating a circular stamp device with a diameter of approximately 13 mm (inches) which is plugged with cotton. The coated device is then stamped on the bottom of a tissue culture well made of polystyrene to ensure that a light uniform coating is deposited on the lower surface. 3 (three) wells are coated for each solution to be tested. Two (2) sets of coated wells are prepared. One set for soaking for 1 hour and a second set for soaking for 4 (four) hours. The coated wells are photographed on a photocopying machine and marked as the starting point. The plates are cleaned as follows. 10 ml of each of the cleaning solutions are pipetted into freshly prepared coated wells. A set of wells is allowed to soak for 1 hour and the second set is allowed to soak for 4 (four) hours. After a soaking cycle, the solution decant when the well is turned downwards. Visual observations are made of any change in the coating during the soaking cycle. At the end of the soaking cycle, the wells are photographed again on a photocopying machine. The estimated passive cleaning resulting from soaking is classified from 1 to 5 where 1 represents the highest degree of passive cleaning and 5 represents the lowest degree of passive cleaning. The results of this qualification are as follows.

After soaking for one (1) hour, dispersion and solubilization of some of the lipid substance is observed in the wells soaked with the solution according to Example 1, Composition A and Composition D. Watch floating on the surface of the solution. These results are observed again after soaking for 4 (four) hours. These results indicate that the solution according to Example 1 is the most effective in passive cleaning regimes in soaking both one (1) hour and four (four) hours. The visual observations show the effectiveness ratings of the solution of Example 1 and compositions A and B which are: Example 1 > composition A > > Composition B. Composition C is the least effective of the solutions, its lipid cleansing efficacy is comparable only to that of saline, Composition E. On the other hand, composition A shows greater cleansing after a period of soaking of four (4) hours, whereas after the soaking of one (1) hour, only the initial dispersion of the coating is shown. Composition D is a more effective passive cleaner than composition B. When comparing the solution according to example 1 with composition A, it is observed that the inclusion of HPMC in the solution of example 1, in combination with the other ingredients present, provides an improvement in passive cleaning efficiency.

Although this disclosure has been described with respect to several specific examples and embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to them and that they may be practiced in a variety of ways within the scope of the following claims. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects or products to which it refers.

Claims (20)

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property:

1. A composition for cleaning contact lenses, characterized in that it comprises: an aqueous liquid medium; a surfactant component in an amount effective to remove the contact lens deposit material that come into contact with the composition; and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose in an amount in a range from about 0.05% to about 05% (w / v).

2. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it has an increased effectiveness for removing deposit material from contact lenses that come into contact with the composition, in relation to a similar composition without the hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.

3. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it has an improved effectiveness in removing passively the deposit material of contact lenses that come into contact with the composition in relation to a similar composition without the hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.

4. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the surfactant is present in an amount ranging from about 0.01% to about 0.8% (w / v).

5. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the surfactant component is selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants and mixtures thereof.

6. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the surfactant component is selected from the group consisting of polysorbates, 4 - (1, 1, 3, 3-tetramethylbutyl) phenol / poly (oxyethylene) polymers, block copolymers, poly (oxyethylene) -poly (oxypropylene), glycol esters of fatty acids, alkyl ether sulfates and mixtures thereof.

7. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the surfactant component is selected from the group consisting of polymers of 4 - (1, 1, 3, 3 -tetramethyl useful) phenol / pol i (oxyeth il ene), copolymers of po-6H-p-block: xyethylene) -poly (oxypropylene), and mixtures thereof.

8. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the surfactant component is selected from the group consisting of polymers of 4- (1, 1, 3, 3-tetrabutyl) phenol / poly (oxyethylene) and mixtures thereof.

9. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a buffer component in an amount effective to maintain the pH of the composition within a physiologically acceptable range and a tonicity component in an amount effective to provide the desired tonicity to the composition. .

10. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises an effective amount of a chelating component.

11. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises an antimicrobial component of an amount effective to disinfect contact lenses that come into contact with the composition.

12. The composition according to claim 11, characterized in that the antimicrobial component is a non-oxidative antimicrobial component.

13. The composition according to claim 11, characterized in that the antimicrobial component is selected from the group consisting of biguanides, biguanide polymers, salts thereof and mixtures thereof.

14. A composition for cleaning contact lenses, characterized in that it comprises: an aqueous liquid medium; a non-oxidative antimicrobial component in an effective amount of less than 5 ppm; a surfactant component selected from the group consisting of polymers of 4- (1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl) phenol / poly (oxyethylene), poly (oxyethylene) -poly (oxyethylene) block copolymers and mixtures of the same in an effective amount to remove deposit material from - - ^ sA sgí- ^ t ^ - contact lenses that come into contact with the composition; a phosphate buffer component in an amount effective to maintain the pH of the solution within a physiologically acceptable range; and a component that induces viscosity in an effective amount to increase the viscosity of the composition, with the proviso that the composition has increased effectiveness for removing the contact lens deposit material in contact with the composition, in relation to a similar composition. without viscosity-inducing component.

15. The composition according to claim 14, characterized in that it has increased effectiveness in passively removing contact lens deposit material in contact with the composition, in relation to a similar composition without the viscosity-inducing component.

16. The composition according to claim 14, characterized in that the viscosity-inducing component is selected from the group consisting of cellulose derivatives and mixtures thereof and is present in an effective amount in a range from about 0.05% to about 0.5% (p. / v).

17. The composition according to claim 14, characterized in that the component that induces viscosity is hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.

18. The composition according to claim 14, characterized in that the non-oxidative antimicrobial component is selected from the group consisting of biguanides, biguanide polymers, salts thereof and mixtures thereof.

19. The composition according to claim 14, characterized in that the non-oxidative antimicrobial component is selected from the group consisting of polyhexamethylene biguanide, salts thereof and mixtures thereof.

20. The composition according to claim 14, characterized in that the surfactant component is present in an amount ranging from about 0.01% to about 0.8 (w / v). They are intended to clean contact lenses that include a surfactant component in an effective amount; and a viscosity-inducing component, which is preferably selected from cellulose derivatives, and most preferably from hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, in an effective amount. Such solutions, which may include one or more additional components, have substantial benefits for cleaning contact lenses which, ultimately, lead to eye health benefits and avoid problems caused by the use of contact lenses.