System for disinfecting contact lenses

1. A method for disinfecting and cleaning contact lenses which are suitable for direct insertion into the eye upon completion of disinfection, comprising the steps of:

(1) immersing a contact lens in an aqueous lens care solution including about 0.5% to about 6% by weight of hydrogen peroxide for a predetermined period of immersing time of at least about one hour to disinfect the contact lens, wherein the aqueous lens care solution comprises from about 0.30% to about 1.4% by weight of one or more chloride salts and has a pH of from about 6 to about 8 and a tonicity of from about 150 to about 400 mOsm/kg as measured by osmolality at 25° C. of the solution according to any known method; and

(2) after the predetermined period of immersing time, electrochemically neutralizing said hydrogen peroxide in the aqueous lens care solution with the contact lens immersed therein so as to reduce the concentration of hydrogen peroxide to less than 20 ppm without electrolytic formation of chlorine and/or hypochlorite, wherein the step of electrochemically neutralizing the hydrogen peroxide is carried out by using one pair of electrodes, wherein the pair of electrodes consists of one cathode and one anode having an ion selective membrane thereon so as to prevent chloride ions from approaching the anode to form chlorine and/or hypochlorite, wherein the step of electrochemically neutralizing the hydrogen peroxide causes a change in pH, designated as ΔpH, of about 1.0 or less, wherein ΔpH=|pH o −pH f | in which pH o is the initial pH of the lens care solution and pH f is the final pH of the lens care solution after electrochemical neutralization of hydrogen peroxide.

2. The method claim 1 , wherein the anode and the cathode are separated by the ion selective membrane to facilitate movement of protons between the anode and the cathode.

3. The method claim 1 , wherein the aqueous lens care solution has a volume in the range of from about 5 ml to about 15 ml.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous lens care solution comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block copolymer, a poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxybutylene) block copolymer, a poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxybutylene) di-block copolymer, a poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxybutylene)-poly(oxyethylene) tri-block copolymer, a poly(oxybutylene)-poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxybutylene) tri-block copolymer, a homopolymer of vinylpyrrolidone, a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone and at least one amino-containing vinylic monomer having 8-15 carbon atoms.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous lens care solution comprises from about 0.5% to about 1.2% by weight of sodium chloride or potassium chloride or both.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of electrochemically neutralizing said hydrogen peroxide in the aqueous lens care solution is carried out in a lens care apparatus which comprises: a container for holding a hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution; one pair of electrodes for electrochemically neutralizing hydrogen peroxide in the hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution; and a control unit operatively connected to the electrodes and to a power source for automatically controlling the electrode polarity and potential of the electrodes, as well as the timing and duration of electrochemically neutralizing of hydrogen peroxide, so that optimum disinfection and cleaning efficacy is obtained, wherein the container comprises a container cup defining an interior chamber accessible through an opening bounded by a rim and for receiving the hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution, a cap for removable attachment onto the container cup to cover the opening, and a lens holder for retaining the contact lenses immersed in the hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution in the container cup, wherein the electrodes are located in the interior chamber and immersed in the hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution when in use.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the lens holder comprises one or more closable baskets which open to receive the contact lenses to be disinfected and cleaned and close to retain the lenses during treatment; wherein the electrodes comprise an ion selective membrane thereon so as to prevent chloride ions from approaching the electrodes to form undesirable electrolytic products including chlorine and hyperchlorite; and/or wherein the control unit comprises an electronic circuitry for operatively connecting the electrodes with the power source and microprocessors and/or embedded systems for automatically controlling the electrode polarity and potential of the electrodes, as well as the timing and duration of the electrochemical neutralization process.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the control unit also contains a power pack, an automatic switching mechanism, indicator, or combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the aqueous lens care solution has a volume in the range of from about 5 ml to about 15 ml.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the aqueous lens care solution comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block copolymer, a poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxybutylene) block copolymer, a poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxybutylene) di-block copolymer, a poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxybutylene)-poly(oxyethylene) tri-block copolymer, a poly(oxybutylene)-poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxybutylene) tri-block copolymer, a homopolymer of vinylpyrrolidone, a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone and at least one amino-containing vinylic monomer having 8-15 carbon atoms.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the aqueous lens care solution comprises from about 0.5% to about 1.2% by weight of sodium chloride or potassium chloride or both.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of electrochemically neutralizing said hydrogen peroxide in the aqueous lens care solution is carried out in a lens care apparatus which comprises: a container for holding a hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution; one pair of electrodes for electrochemically neutralizing hydrogen peroxide in the hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution; and a control unit operatively connected to the electrodes and to a power source for automatically controlling the electrode polarity and potential of the electrodes, as well as the timing and duration of electrochemically neutralizing of hydrogen peroxide, so that optimum disinfection and cleaning efficacy is obtained, wherein the container comprises a container cup defining an interior chamber accessible through an opening bounded by a rim and for receiving the hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution, a cap for removable attachment onto the container cup to cover the opening, and a lens holder for retaining the contact lenses immersed in the hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution in the container cup, wherein the electrodes are located in the interior chamber and immersed in the hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution when in use.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the lens holder comprises one or more closable baskets which open to receive the contact lenses to be disinfected and cleaned and close to retain the lenses during treatment; wherein the electrodes comprise an ion selective membrane thereon so as to prevent chloride ions from approaching the electrodes to form undesirable electrolytic products including chlorine and hyperchlorite; and/or wherein the control unit comprises an electronic circuitry for operatively connecting the electrodes with the power source and microprocessors and/or embedded systems for automatically controlling the electrode polarity and potential of the electrodes, as well as the timing and duration of the electrochemical neutralization process.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the control unit also contains a power pack, an automatic switching mechanism, indicator, or combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 2 , wherein the aqueous lens care solution comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block copolymer, a poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxybutylene) block copolymer, a poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxybutylene) di-block copolymer, a poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxybutylene)-poly(oxyethylene) tri-block copolymer, a poly(oxybutylene)-poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxybutylene) tri-block copolymer, a homopolymer of vinylpyrrolidone, a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone and at least one amino-containing vinylic monomer having 8-15 carbon atoms.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the aqueous lens care solution comprises from about 0.5% to about 1.2% by weight of sodium chloride or potassium chloride or both.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of electrochemically neutralizing said hydrogen peroxide in the aqueous lens care solution is carried out in a lens care apparatus which comprises: a container for holding a hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution; one pair of electrodes for electrochemically neutralizing hydrogen peroxide in the hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution; and a control unit operatively connected to the electrodes and to a power source for automatically controlling the electrode polarity and potential of the electrodes, as well as the timing and duration of electrochemically neutralizing of hydrogen peroxide, so that optimum disinfection and cleaning efficacy is obtained, wherein the container comprises a container cup defining an interior chamber accessible through an opening bounded by a rim and for receiving the hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution, a cap for removable attachment onto the container cup to cover the opening, and a lens holder for retaining the contact lenses immersed in the hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution in the container cup, wherein the electrodes are located in the interior chamber and immersed in the hydrogen peroxide-based lens care solution when in use.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the lens holder comprises one or more closable baskets which open to receive the contact lenses to be disinfected and cleaned and close to retain the lenses during treatment; wherein the electrodes comprise an ion selective membrane thereon so as to prevent chloride ions from approaching the electrodes to form undesirable electrolytic products including chlorine and hyperchlorite; and/or wherein the control unit comprises an electronic circuitry for operatively connecting the electrodes with the power source and microprocessors and/or embedded systems for automatically controlling the electrode polarity and potential of the electrodes, as well as the timing and duration of the electrochemical neutralization process.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the control unit also contains a power pack, an automatic switching mechanism, indicator, or combinations thereof.