CA1163906A - Process for removing contaminants on contact lenses - Google Patents
Process for removing contaminants on contact lensesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1163906A CA1163906A CA000370312A CA370312A CA1163906A CA 1163906 A CA1163906 A CA 1163906A CA 000370312 A CA000370312 A CA 000370312A CA 370312 A CA370312 A CA 370312A CA 1163906 A CA1163906 A CA 1163906A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- contact lenses
- aqueous solution
- water
- acid salt
- contaminants
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02C—SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES
- G02C13/00—Assembling; Repairing; Cleaning
- G02C13/008—Devices specially adapted for cleaning contact lenses
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
- A61L12/00—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising contact lenses; Accessories therefor
- A61L12/08—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising contact lenses; Accessories therefor using chemical substances
- A61L12/10—Halogens or compounds thereof
- A61L12/107—Hypohalites; Active halogens
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
- C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
- C11D7/00—Compositions of detergents based essentially on non-surface-active compounds
- C11D7/02—Inorganic compounds
- C11D7/04—Water-soluble compounds
- C11D7/10—Salts
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- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Epidemiology (AREA)
- Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
- Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Ophthalmology & Optometry (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Eyeglasses (AREA)
- Detergent Compositions (AREA)
Abstract
Abstract:
A process for removing contaminants on the surface of contact lenses by immersing contact lenses in an aqueous solution containing a hypohalogenous acid salt. Contaminants, especially protein contaminants can be easily removed in a short period of time.
A process for removing contaminants on the surface of contact lenses by immersing contact lenses in an aqueous solution containing a hypohalogenous acid salt. Contaminants, especially protein contaminants can be easily removed in a short period of time.
Description
~ ~3~
- 2 BACK~ROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a process for removing contaminants sticking to the surface o~ contact lenses.
Contact lenses put presently on the market are classified into two large groups, i.e. contact lenses of water-nonabsorptive type and water-absorptive type. In contact lenses of both types, contaminants such as lipids and proteins contained in tears stick to the lens surface during wear of the lenses in the eyes. Accordingly, removal of contaminants sticking to the lens surface becomes a serious problem in handling the contact lenses.
When such contaminants are not sufficiently removed, the optical property of lenses is impaired, and also the contaminants not only make a feeling in use of the lenses bad, but also become a cause bringing about a serious trouble on ocular tissue. Therefore, it is necessary to promptly remove contaminants sticking to the lens surface after taking off the lenses from the eyes.
It is known that use of a surface active agent is effective for the removal of contaminants, particularly lipids, sticXing to the lens surface.
However, a surface active agent has little effect on - removal of contaminants other than lipids, especially removal of protein contaminant. Therefore, washing of contact lenses with only a usual cleaning solution containing a surface active agent still causes unremoved contaminants such as proteins to remain on the lens surface, and when such lenses are left, the contaminants strongly stick to the lens surface in the form of white crystal or thin film and remarkably shorten the life of contact lenses for which the optical property is the most important.
This tendency is particularly noticeable in water-absorptive contact lenses made of a polymer of a hydrophilic monomer as a main component such as 1 ~3'~6 2-hydroxyethvl methacrylate or N-vinyl pyrrolidone.
That is to say, these water-absorptive contact lenses are made of water-absorptive materials and, therefore, the lens itself is easy to become a hotbed of the propagation of various microorganisms and it is essential to conduct a boiling sterilization treatment at regular time intervals in order to prevent the propagation.
However, during the boiling treatment, contaminants such as proteins on the surface of the lens are denatured so as to stick more strongly to the lens surface.
Also, in addition to well known ~ater-non-absorptive contact lenses made of predominantly polymethyl methacrylate, silicone rubber contact lenses and contact lenses made of materials containing silicone component h~ve spread in recent years. These contact lenses are more easy to adsorb contaminants such as proteins on the lens surface than the polymethyl methacrylate contact lenses.
It is common to contact lenses of all kinds that stic~ing of contaminants onto the lens surface is a serious problem in handling them, though the degree of stic~ing of contaminants varies depending on materials of contact lenses, state of the eye of user, manner of handling and term of use.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for removing contaminants on the surface of contact lenses.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a process for easily removing contaminants, especially proteins, on the surface of contact lenses in a short period of time.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description hereinafter.
SU~ARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been found that a hypohalogenous acid salt is very effective for removing contaminants, ~ ~390~
particularly proteins, sticking to the surface of contact lenses in a short period of time.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a process for removing contaminants on the surface of contact lenses which comprises immersing a contact lens in an aqueous solution containing a hypohalogenous acid salt for an effective period of time.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The term "hypohalogenous acid salt" as used herein comprehends a water-soluble compound capable of producing a hypohalogenite ion in water.
Examples of the hypohalogenous acid salt employed in the present invention are alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts of hypohalogenous acids such as hypochlorous acid, hypobromous acid and hypoiodous acid, e.g. lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium or calcium hypochlorite, hypobromite and hypoiodite. These hypohalogenous acid salts may be employed alone or in admixture thereof. AlXali metal hypobromites and al~aline earth metal hypobromites are preferred among the above-mentioned salts in point of the effect.
The hypohalogenous acid salt is employed in the form of aqueous solution in cleaning contact lenses.
The preparation of an aqueous solution of a hypohalo-genous acid salt may be conducted in various manners, for instance, hy a process (1~ in which an aqueous solution of a hypohalogenous acid salt is prepared and reserved in a suitable vessel, and is used as it is or after diluting it to a desired concentration with distilled water or purified water; a process (2) in which there is prepared a hypohalogenous acid salt in the form of tablet, powder or granule, and upon treating contact lenses, it is dissolved in distilled water or purified water to prepare an aqueous solution of the hypohalo-genous acid salt having a desired concentration; or a process (3) in which there is employed a tablet, powder ,. ~
~ 1~3906 or granule of a compound capable of dissolving in water such as distilled or purified water and producing a hypohalogenite ion.
The above process (1) is the most convenient, but an aqueous solution of a hypohalogenous acid salt is generally unstable and cannot be reserved for a long term.
Therefore, the above processes (2) and (3) are more prac-tical.
Explaining a typical example of the process (2), in case that the hypohalogenous acid salt is calcium salts such as calcium hypochlorite, a tablet, powder or granule thereof is preferably employed. It is also possible to employ an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hypochlorite such as calcium hypochlorite in com-bination with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal bromide such as potassium bromide to produce hypobromite ion in an aqueous solution thereof. For instance, a tablet, powder or granule of calcium hypochlorite is employed in combination with an aqueous solution, tablet, powder or granule of potassium bromide.
Examples of the compound used in the above process (3) are sodium salt of N,N-dichlorotaurine, N,N'-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, N-bromosuccinimide and N,N-dichloroglycine. These compounds may be employed in the form of tablet, powder or granule.
The amount of the hypohalogenous acid salt used and the immersion treatment time of contact lenses are not critical in the present invention, but in gene-ral, it is desirable that the concentration of the hypo-halogenous acid salt in an aqueous solution for immersion treatment is from about 1 p.p.m. to about 20,000 p.p.m.
and that the immersion treatment time is from about 3 minutes to about 24 hours~
In general, the higher the concentration of a hypohalogenous acid salt, the shorter the immersion treatment time. However, in case of treating water-absorptive contact lenses, it is desirable to employ a . . . ^ . ~ .
.
i. :
1 ~63~06 - 5a -hypohalogenous acid salt in as low concentration as possible so as to remove contaminants by a mild action of the hypohalogenite ion, since removal of the hypohalo-9~
genous aci~ salt remaining in the lenses after treatment is made easy and an undesirable influence of the sal~ such as deterioration of the lens material is avoided. For instance, water-absorptive contact lenses are immersed in an aqueous solution containing about~l to about 50 p.p.m.
of a hypohalogenous acid salt for about 3 to 24 hours.
After the completion of the immersion treatment, the contact lenses are taken out from the aqueous solution and the remaining hypohalogenous acid salt is removed from the treated contact lenses. In case of water-nonabsorptive contact lenses, the hypohalogenous acid salt remaining on the surface of contact lenses can be easily removed by sufficiently rinsing the contact lenses with water such as tap water. In case of water-absorptive contact lenses, it is difficult to sufficientlyremove the remaining hypohalogenous acid salt in such a manner as mere rinsing because of the water-absorptivity of the contact lens material. Therefore, in that case, it is necessary to subject the immersion-treated contact lenses to a treatment for making the hypohalogenous acid salt harmless before rinsing.
The treatment for making the remaining hypohalogenous acid salt in water-absorptive contact lenses can be conducted by employing a reducing agent, e.g. alkali metal or al~aline earth metal salts of thiosulfuric acid such as sodium thiosulfate, potassium thiosulfate and calcium thiosulfate, ascorbic acid, and saccharides such as glucose, mannose, galactose and lactose. After the completion of the immersion treatment, the contact lenses are taken out from the immersion solution and are then immersed in an aqueous solution of a reducing agent in order to make the remaining hypohalogenous acid salt harmless. It is of course possible to after immersing contact lenses in an aqueous solution containing a hypohalogenous acid salt for a sufficient period of time, add and dissolve a reducing agent in the aqueous solution.
When the saccharides such as glucose, mannose, ~ ~6~g~
galactose and lactose are used as a reducing agent, it is also possible to make such a reducing agent present in an aqueous solution of a hypohalogenous acid salt from the beginning of the immersion treatment for removing contaminants. The reducing agent is dissolved in an aqueous solution of a hypohalogenous acid salt before conducting the immersion treatment of contact lenses. In that case, it is possible to reduce the hypohalogenous acid salt, in other words, to make the treating solution harmless, without impairing the removal action of the hypohalogenous acid salt on contaminants sticking to the lens surface, since the action of the hypohalogenous acid salt on the reducing agent is slower than the action on the contaminants.
Therefore, this manner is particularly desirable, since the failure such that contact lenses are immersed in the treating solution over a prescribed time is prevented.
Witn respect to the amount of the reducing agent, there is no particular problen~., so far as the reducing agent is employed in an amount enough to react with all the hypohalogenous acid salt used.
After making a hypohalogenous acid salt or an aqueous solution thereof harmless, the contact lenses are sufficiently rinsed with a 0.9 % by weight physiological saline water so that the lenses can be worn on the eyes without any problems.
The process of the present invention is more particularly described and explained by means of ~he following Examples.
Example_l A protein contaminant was stuck to water-absorptive cuntact lenses (commercial name "MENICON SOFT
made by Toyo Contact Lens Co., Ltd.) as follows:
Five pieces of the contact lenses were immersed in 100 ml. of an aqueous solution of 1 g. of lysozyme and 0.9 g. of sodium chloride dissolved in distilled water for 6 hours, and a~ter taking out from ~ ~3gO~
the aqueous solution, were rinsed with a slight amount of physiological saline water. Each lens was placed in a vessel filled with 1 ml. of a physiological saline water, and the vessel was sealed with a cap and was heated to boil for 15 minutes. The contact lenses were - taken out from the vessels, and the lens surfaces were cleaned with a puff for contact lens (commercial name "NE~'CLEAN PUFF" made by Toyo Contact Lens Co., Ltd.) and a cleaning liquid (commercial name "P~ENI CLEAN"
made by Toyo Contact Lens Co., Ltd.). This cleaning procedure was repeated ~ times on each lens. It was confirmed that each lens was completely covered with a white film of protein, i.e. lysozyme.
The thus contaminated contact lenses were immersed in 5 ml. of each of ~ p.p.m., lO p.p.m., 20 p.p.n..., 30 p.p.m. and 50 p.p.m. aqueous solutions of sodium hypochlorite for 16 hours, respectively. The degree of the removal of contaminant was observed by a stereoscopic microscope (JrI Tr Type of darX ground 2Q stereoscopic microscope made by OLY~IPUS OPTICAL CO~lPAN~' LI~IITED).
In case of the treatment with the 30 p.p.m.
and 50 p.p.m. aqueous solutions, the contaminant was completely remo~ed to restore the transparency of the lens. In case of the treatment with the 20 p.p.m.
aqueous solution, unremoved contaminant was partly remained on the lens surface. In case of the treatment with the 4 p.p.m. and lO p.p.m. aqueous solutions, more than half of the contaminant remained unremoved.
However, the above aqueous solutions o sodium hypochlorite in low concentrations, i.e. 4 p.p.m., lO p.p.m. and 2n p.p.m., are still effective in practical use where the treatment is periodically conducted in order to prevent sticking of contaminants to the surface of water-absorptive contact lenses.
Example 2 Removal of a protein contaminant with ~ 163~0B
hypobromite ion produced by reaction of potassium bromide and calcium hypochlorite in distilled water was tested as follows:
Five pieces of water-nonabsorptive contact lenses (commercial name "~IENICON 2" made by Toyo Contact Lens Co., Ltd.) contaminated with a protein were immersed in an aqueous solution of 20 mg. of potassium bromide dissolved in 10 ml. of distilled water, and in the a~ueous solution was dissolved 25 mg. of calcium hypochlorite having 61 % of available chlorine.
After 5 minutes, the lenses were taken out and sufficiently washed with tap water. The state of the lens surface was then observed by a stereoscopic microscope.
In all the contact lenses, the contaminant was removed to restore the orginal transparency of the lens.
Example 3 The same water-absorptive contact lens as used in Example 1 was treated in the same manner as in Example 2.
After 5 minutes from dissolution of calcium hypochlorite, five pieces of the lenses were sufficiently rinsed with a 0.9 % physiological saline water, and the degree of removal of the contaminant was observed by a stereoscopic microscope. In all the contact lenses, the contaminant was removed and the lenses were transparent.
This process is suitable for use in removing contaminants on the surface of contact lenses in a short time in an ophthalmic hospital or an optician.
Example 4 Five pieces of the same wa~er-absorptive contact lens as used in Example 1, the surface of which was contaminated with a protein, were immersed in an aqueous solution of 0.25 mg. of potassium bromide and ~ i~3~
63 mg. of glucose dissolved in 10 ml. of distilled water, and in the aqueous solution was dissolved 25 mg.
of calcium hypochlorite having 61 % of available chlorine. After 2 hours, the lenses were taken out and sufficiently rinsed with a 0.9 % physiological saline water. The degree of removal of the contaminant was observed by a stereoscopic microscope.
All the contact lenses so treated had no contaminant on the surface and had the original transparency. Also, the presence of hypohalogenite ion was not observed in the aqueous solution after the treatment for 2 hours.
Example 5 A treating liquor was prepared by adding 30 mg.
of N,N'-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, 25 mg. of potassium bromide and 50 mg. of sodium carbonate to 10 ml. of distilled water and thoroughly shaking. Five pieces of the same water-nonabsorptive contact lens as used in Example 2, the surface of which was contaminated with a protein, were immersed in the treating liquor for 10 minutes, and the state of the lens surface was observed in the same manner as in Example 2. All the contact lenses so treated had no contaminant on the surface and had the original transparency.
The present invention relates to a process for removing contaminants sticking to the surface o~ contact lenses.
Contact lenses put presently on the market are classified into two large groups, i.e. contact lenses of water-nonabsorptive type and water-absorptive type. In contact lenses of both types, contaminants such as lipids and proteins contained in tears stick to the lens surface during wear of the lenses in the eyes. Accordingly, removal of contaminants sticking to the lens surface becomes a serious problem in handling the contact lenses.
When such contaminants are not sufficiently removed, the optical property of lenses is impaired, and also the contaminants not only make a feeling in use of the lenses bad, but also become a cause bringing about a serious trouble on ocular tissue. Therefore, it is necessary to promptly remove contaminants sticking to the lens surface after taking off the lenses from the eyes.
It is known that use of a surface active agent is effective for the removal of contaminants, particularly lipids, sticXing to the lens surface.
However, a surface active agent has little effect on - removal of contaminants other than lipids, especially removal of protein contaminant. Therefore, washing of contact lenses with only a usual cleaning solution containing a surface active agent still causes unremoved contaminants such as proteins to remain on the lens surface, and when such lenses are left, the contaminants strongly stick to the lens surface in the form of white crystal or thin film and remarkably shorten the life of contact lenses for which the optical property is the most important.
This tendency is particularly noticeable in water-absorptive contact lenses made of a polymer of a hydrophilic monomer as a main component such as 1 ~3'~6 2-hydroxyethvl methacrylate or N-vinyl pyrrolidone.
That is to say, these water-absorptive contact lenses are made of water-absorptive materials and, therefore, the lens itself is easy to become a hotbed of the propagation of various microorganisms and it is essential to conduct a boiling sterilization treatment at regular time intervals in order to prevent the propagation.
However, during the boiling treatment, contaminants such as proteins on the surface of the lens are denatured so as to stick more strongly to the lens surface.
Also, in addition to well known ~ater-non-absorptive contact lenses made of predominantly polymethyl methacrylate, silicone rubber contact lenses and contact lenses made of materials containing silicone component h~ve spread in recent years. These contact lenses are more easy to adsorb contaminants such as proteins on the lens surface than the polymethyl methacrylate contact lenses.
It is common to contact lenses of all kinds that stic~ing of contaminants onto the lens surface is a serious problem in handling them, though the degree of stic~ing of contaminants varies depending on materials of contact lenses, state of the eye of user, manner of handling and term of use.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for removing contaminants on the surface of contact lenses.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a process for easily removing contaminants, especially proteins, on the surface of contact lenses in a short period of time.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description hereinafter.
SU~ARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been found that a hypohalogenous acid salt is very effective for removing contaminants, ~ ~390~
particularly proteins, sticking to the surface of contact lenses in a short period of time.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a process for removing contaminants on the surface of contact lenses which comprises immersing a contact lens in an aqueous solution containing a hypohalogenous acid salt for an effective period of time.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The term "hypohalogenous acid salt" as used herein comprehends a water-soluble compound capable of producing a hypohalogenite ion in water.
Examples of the hypohalogenous acid salt employed in the present invention are alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts of hypohalogenous acids such as hypochlorous acid, hypobromous acid and hypoiodous acid, e.g. lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium or calcium hypochlorite, hypobromite and hypoiodite. These hypohalogenous acid salts may be employed alone or in admixture thereof. AlXali metal hypobromites and al~aline earth metal hypobromites are preferred among the above-mentioned salts in point of the effect.
The hypohalogenous acid salt is employed in the form of aqueous solution in cleaning contact lenses.
The preparation of an aqueous solution of a hypohalo-genous acid salt may be conducted in various manners, for instance, hy a process (1~ in which an aqueous solution of a hypohalogenous acid salt is prepared and reserved in a suitable vessel, and is used as it is or after diluting it to a desired concentration with distilled water or purified water; a process (2) in which there is prepared a hypohalogenous acid salt in the form of tablet, powder or granule, and upon treating contact lenses, it is dissolved in distilled water or purified water to prepare an aqueous solution of the hypohalo-genous acid salt having a desired concentration; or a process (3) in which there is employed a tablet, powder ,. ~
~ 1~3906 or granule of a compound capable of dissolving in water such as distilled or purified water and producing a hypohalogenite ion.
The above process (1) is the most convenient, but an aqueous solution of a hypohalogenous acid salt is generally unstable and cannot be reserved for a long term.
Therefore, the above processes (2) and (3) are more prac-tical.
Explaining a typical example of the process (2), in case that the hypohalogenous acid salt is calcium salts such as calcium hypochlorite, a tablet, powder or granule thereof is preferably employed. It is also possible to employ an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hypochlorite such as calcium hypochlorite in com-bination with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal bromide such as potassium bromide to produce hypobromite ion in an aqueous solution thereof. For instance, a tablet, powder or granule of calcium hypochlorite is employed in combination with an aqueous solution, tablet, powder or granule of potassium bromide.
Examples of the compound used in the above process (3) are sodium salt of N,N-dichlorotaurine, N,N'-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, N-bromosuccinimide and N,N-dichloroglycine. These compounds may be employed in the form of tablet, powder or granule.
The amount of the hypohalogenous acid salt used and the immersion treatment time of contact lenses are not critical in the present invention, but in gene-ral, it is desirable that the concentration of the hypo-halogenous acid salt in an aqueous solution for immersion treatment is from about 1 p.p.m. to about 20,000 p.p.m.
and that the immersion treatment time is from about 3 minutes to about 24 hours~
In general, the higher the concentration of a hypohalogenous acid salt, the shorter the immersion treatment time. However, in case of treating water-absorptive contact lenses, it is desirable to employ a . . . ^ . ~ .
.
i. :
1 ~63~06 - 5a -hypohalogenous acid salt in as low concentration as possible so as to remove contaminants by a mild action of the hypohalogenite ion, since removal of the hypohalo-9~
genous aci~ salt remaining in the lenses after treatment is made easy and an undesirable influence of the sal~ such as deterioration of the lens material is avoided. For instance, water-absorptive contact lenses are immersed in an aqueous solution containing about~l to about 50 p.p.m.
of a hypohalogenous acid salt for about 3 to 24 hours.
After the completion of the immersion treatment, the contact lenses are taken out from the aqueous solution and the remaining hypohalogenous acid salt is removed from the treated contact lenses. In case of water-nonabsorptive contact lenses, the hypohalogenous acid salt remaining on the surface of contact lenses can be easily removed by sufficiently rinsing the contact lenses with water such as tap water. In case of water-absorptive contact lenses, it is difficult to sufficientlyremove the remaining hypohalogenous acid salt in such a manner as mere rinsing because of the water-absorptivity of the contact lens material. Therefore, in that case, it is necessary to subject the immersion-treated contact lenses to a treatment for making the hypohalogenous acid salt harmless before rinsing.
The treatment for making the remaining hypohalogenous acid salt in water-absorptive contact lenses can be conducted by employing a reducing agent, e.g. alkali metal or al~aline earth metal salts of thiosulfuric acid such as sodium thiosulfate, potassium thiosulfate and calcium thiosulfate, ascorbic acid, and saccharides such as glucose, mannose, galactose and lactose. After the completion of the immersion treatment, the contact lenses are taken out from the immersion solution and are then immersed in an aqueous solution of a reducing agent in order to make the remaining hypohalogenous acid salt harmless. It is of course possible to after immersing contact lenses in an aqueous solution containing a hypohalogenous acid salt for a sufficient period of time, add and dissolve a reducing agent in the aqueous solution.
When the saccharides such as glucose, mannose, ~ ~6~g~
galactose and lactose are used as a reducing agent, it is also possible to make such a reducing agent present in an aqueous solution of a hypohalogenous acid salt from the beginning of the immersion treatment for removing contaminants. The reducing agent is dissolved in an aqueous solution of a hypohalogenous acid salt before conducting the immersion treatment of contact lenses. In that case, it is possible to reduce the hypohalogenous acid salt, in other words, to make the treating solution harmless, without impairing the removal action of the hypohalogenous acid salt on contaminants sticking to the lens surface, since the action of the hypohalogenous acid salt on the reducing agent is slower than the action on the contaminants.
Therefore, this manner is particularly desirable, since the failure such that contact lenses are immersed in the treating solution over a prescribed time is prevented.
Witn respect to the amount of the reducing agent, there is no particular problen~., so far as the reducing agent is employed in an amount enough to react with all the hypohalogenous acid salt used.
After making a hypohalogenous acid salt or an aqueous solution thereof harmless, the contact lenses are sufficiently rinsed with a 0.9 % by weight physiological saline water so that the lenses can be worn on the eyes without any problems.
The process of the present invention is more particularly described and explained by means of ~he following Examples.
Example_l A protein contaminant was stuck to water-absorptive cuntact lenses (commercial name "MENICON SOFT
made by Toyo Contact Lens Co., Ltd.) as follows:
Five pieces of the contact lenses were immersed in 100 ml. of an aqueous solution of 1 g. of lysozyme and 0.9 g. of sodium chloride dissolved in distilled water for 6 hours, and a~ter taking out from ~ ~3gO~
the aqueous solution, were rinsed with a slight amount of physiological saline water. Each lens was placed in a vessel filled with 1 ml. of a physiological saline water, and the vessel was sealed with a cap and was heated to boil for 15 minutes. The contact lenses were - taken out from the vessels, and the lens surfaces were cleaned with a puff for contact lens (commercial name "NE~'CLEAN PUFF" made by Toyo Contact Lens Co., Ltd.) and a cleaning liquid (commercial name "P~ENI CLEAN"
made by Toyo Contact Lens Co., Ltd.). This cleaning procedure was repeated ~ times on each lens. It was confirmed that each lens was completely covered with a white film of protein, i.e. lysozyme.
The thus contaminated contact lenses were immersed in 5 ml. of each of ~ p.p.m., lO p.p.m., 20 p.p.n..., 30 p.p.m. and 50 p.p.m. aqueous solutions of sodium hypochlorite for 16 hours, respectively. The degree of the removal of contaminant was observed by a stereoscopic microscope (JrI Tr Type of darX ground 2Q stereoscopic microscope made by OLY~IPUS OPTICAL CO~lPAN~' LI~IITED).
In case of the treatment with the 30 p.p.m.
and 50 p.p.m. aqueous solutions, the contaminant was completely remo~ed to restore the transparency of the lens. In case of the treatment with the 20 p.p.m.
aqueous solution, unremoved contaminant was partly remained on the lens surface. In case of the treatment with the 4 p.p.m. and lO p.p.m. aqueous solutions, more than half of the contaminant remained unremoved.
However, the above aqueous solutions o sodium hypochlorite in low concentrations, i.e. 4 p.p.m., lO p.p.m. and 2n p.p.m., are still effective in practical use where the treatment is periodically conducted in order to prevent sticking of contaminants to the surface of water-absorptive contact lenses.
Example 2 Removal of a protein contaminant with ~ 163~0B
hypobromite ion produced by reaction of potassium bromide and calcium hypochlorite in distilled water was tested as follows:
Five pieces of water-nonabsorptive contact lenses (commercial name "~IENICON 2" made by Toyo Contact Lens Co., Ltd.) contaminated with a protein were immersed in an aqueous solution of 20 mg. of potassium bromide dissolved in 10 ml. of distilled water, and in the a~ueous solution was dissolved 25 mg. of calcium hypochlorite having 61 % of available chlorine.
After 5 minutes, the lenses were taken out and sufficiently washed with tap water. The state of the lens surface was then observed by a stereoscopic microscope.
In all the contact lenses, the contaminant was removed to restore the orginal transparency of the lens.
Example 3 The same water-absorptive contact lens as used in Example 1 was treated in the same manner as in Example 2.
After 5 minutes from dissolution of calcium hypochlorite, five pieces of the lenses were sufficiently rinsed with a 0.9 % physiological saline water, and the degree of removal of the contaminant was observed by a stereoscopic microscope. In all the contact lenses, the contaminant was removed and the lenses were transparent.
This process is suitable for use in removing contaminants on the surface of contact lenses in a short time in an ophthalmic hospital or an optician.
Example 4 Five pieces of the same wa~er-absorptive contact lens as used in Example 1, the surface of which was contaminated with a protein, were immersed in an aqueous solution of 0.25 mg. of potassium bromide and ~ i~3~
63 mg. of glucose dissolved in 10 ml. of distilled water, and in the aqueous solution was dissolved 25 mg.
of calcium hypochlorite having 61 % of available chlorine. After 2 hours, the lenses were taken out and sufficiently rinsed with a 0.9 % physiological saline water. The degree of removal of the contaminant was observed by a stereoscopic microscope.
All the contact lenses so treated had no contaminant on the surface and had the original transparency. Also, the presence of hypohalogenite ion was not observed in the aqueous solution after the treatment for 2 hours.
Example 5 A treating liquor was prepared by adding 30 mg.
of N,N'-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, 25 mg. of potassium bromide and 50 mg. of sodium carbonate to 10 ml. of distilled water and thoroughly shaking. Five pieces of the same water-nonabsorptive contact lens as used in Example 2, the surface of which was contaminated with a protein, were immersed in the treating liquor for 10 minutes, and the state of the lens surface was observed in the same manner as in Example 2. All the contact lenses so treated had no contaminant on the surface and had the original transparency.
Claims (4)
1. A process for removing contaminants on the surface of water-nonabsorptive contact lenses which com-prises immersing a water-nonabsorptive contact lens in an aqueous solution containing hypobromite ion for an effective period of time.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein said aqueous solution containing hypobromite ion is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt of hypochlorous acid and an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal bromide.
3. The process of claim 2, wherein said alkali metal or alkaline earth metal bromide is potassium bromide.
4. The process of claim 1, wherein said aqueous solution containing hypobromite ion is an aqueous solution of calcium hypochlorite and potassium bromide.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP21077/1980 | 1980-02-23 | ||
| JP2107780A JPS6027965B2 (en) | 1980-02-23 | 1980-02-23 | How to remove dirt from contact lenses |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1163906A true CA1163906A (en) | 1984-03-20 |
Family
ID=12044818
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000370312A Expired CA1163906A (en) | 1980-02-23 | 1981-02-06 | Process for removing contaminants on contact lenses |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS6027965B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1163906A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3106290C2 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2479491A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2072371B (en) |
Families Citing this family (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2544880B1 (en) * | 1983-04-20 | 1986-08-29 | Pos Lab | PROCESS FOR THE CLEANING AND DECONTAMINATION OF CONTACT LENSES AND COMPOSITION FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION |
| AU573247B2 (en) * | 1983-08-25 | 1988-06-02 | Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. | Contact lens disinfection |
| GB8501955D0 (en) * | 1985-01-25 | 1985-02-27 | Contact Lens Mfg Ltd | Disinfection of contact lenses |
| EP0196075B1 (en) * | 1985-03-26 | 1990-03-14 | Toray Industries, Inc. | Cleaning system for contact lenses and process for cleaning the same |
| GB2218823B (en) * | 1988-05-19 | 1992-02-19 | Sauflon Pharm Ltd | Disinfection of contact lenses |
| CA2320556A1 (en) * | 1999-09-29 | 2001-03-29 | Queen's University At Kingston | N,n-dichlorinated omega amino acids and uses thereof |
| US7173073B2 (en) * | 2002-01-14 | 2007-02-06 | Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. | Ophthalmic devices containing heterocyclic compounds and methods for their production |
| UY31057A1 (en) * | 2007-05-01 | 2008-10-31 | Alcon Res Ltd | N-HALOGENATED AMINO ACID FORMULATIONS CONTAINING ALIFATIC ACID |
| CN113867009A (en) * | 2020-07-31 | 2021-12-31 | 苏州三个臭皮匠生物科技有限公司 | Contact lens cleaner and electrophoresis dissociation protein removal sterilization method |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IL41460A (en) * | 1972-05-15 | 1975-06-25 | Hydrophilics Int Inc | Sterilization of soft contact lenses |
| FR2256767B1 (en) * | 1974-01-07 | 1978-10-06 | Nat Patent Dev Corp |
-
1980
- 1980-02-23 JP JP2107780A patent/JPS6027965B2/en not_active Expired
-
1981
- 1981-02-06 CA CA000370312A patent/CA1163906A/en not_active Expired
- 1981-02-12 GB GB8104366A patent/GB2072371B/en not_active Expired
- 1981-02-17 FR FR8103107A patent/FR2479491A1/en active Granted
- 1981-02-20 DE DE19813106290 patent/DE3106290C2/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| FR2479491A1 (en) | 1981-10-02 |
| DE3106290A1 (en) | 1982-01-14 |
| GB2072371B (en) | 1984-07-11 |
| JPS56119113A (en) | 1981-09-18 |
| FR2479491B1 (en) | 1985-02-08 |
| DE3106290C2 (en) | 1985-03-07 |
| GB2072371A (en) | 1981-09-30 |
| JPS6027965B2 (en) | 1985-07-02 |
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