Contact lens disinfecting and preserving solution

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1.
A method for preserving or disinfecting soft contact lenses comprising contacting said lenses with an aqueous solution having as the active antimicrobial agent 1,5pentanedial present in an amount from about 0.
00001 to about 0.
1 weight percent of said composition, said composition being buffered for eye comfort (pH compatible) with at least one buffer in an amount from about 0.
05 to 2.
5 weight percent wherein the 1,5-pentanedial in the amount from about 0.
00001 to about 0.
01 weight percent is combined with from about 0.
0001 to about 0.
5 weight percent of an enhancing agent selected from the group consisting of thimerosal, phenylmercuric salts, sorbic acid, ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid and its salts and mixtures thereof.
2.
The method of claim 1 wherein the enhancing agent is thimerosal.
3.
The method of claim 1 wherein the 1,5-pentanedial is present in an amount from about 0.
0001 to about 0.
005 weight percent and the enhancer is present in an amount from about 0.
0001 to about 0.
1 weight percent.




Description:
BACKGROUND b 1.
Field of the Invention This invention relates to the use of 1,5-pentanedial as the active antimicrobial agent in disinfecting and/or preserving solutions for contact lenses.
b 2.
Description of the Prior Art This invention relates to disinfecting contact lenses, particularly soft contact lenses.
When the term "soft contact lenses" is used herein, it is generally referring to those contact lenses which readily flex under small amounts of force and return to their original shape when released from that force.
Typically, soft contact lenses are formulated from poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) which has been, in the preferred formulation, crosslinked with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate.
For convenience, this polymer is generally known as PHEMA.
Soft contact lenses are also made from silicone polymers typically crosslinked with dimethyl polysiloxane