Aqueous ophthalmic formulations and methods for preserving same

A method for preserving an aqueous ophthalmic solution so as to enhance the shelf life thereof comprising incorporating into said aqueous ophthalmic solution stabilized chlorine dioxide in an amount effective to act as the sole preservative in said aqueous ophthalmic solution in the range of about 0.002 to about 0.02 weight/volume percent, at least one ophthalmically acceptable buffer component in an amount effective to maintain said aqueous ophthalmic solution at a pH in the range of about 6.8 to about 8, and at least one ophthalmically acceptable tonicity component in an amount effective to maintain said aqueous ophthalmic solution at an osmolality in the range of about 200 to about 400 mOsmol/kg, provided that said aqueous ophthalmic solution is ophthalmically acceptable and substantially no germicidally effective amounts of any positively charged, nitrogen-containing cationic polymers are incorporated into said aqueous ophthalmic solution.

A preserved ophthalmic formulation comprising an ophthalmically acceptable aqueous medium and, included therein, stabilized chlorine dioxide in an amount effective to act as the sole preservative in said ophthalmically acceptable aqueous medium, at least one ophthalmically acceptable buffer component in an amount effective to maintain said ophthalmically acceptable aqueous medium at a pH in the range of about 6.8 to about 8, and at least one ophthalmically acceptable tonicity component in an amount effective to maintain said ophthalmically acceptable aqueous medium at an osmolality of at least about 200 mOsmol/kg, provided that said preserved ophthalmic formulation is ophthalmically acceptable and is free of germicidally effective amounts of any positively charged, nitrogen-containing cationic polymers.

A preserved ophthalmic solution comprising an ophthalmically acceptable aqueous solution and, included therein, stabilized chlorine dioxide in an amount effective to act as the sole preservative in said ophthalmically aqueous acceptable solution in the range of about 0.002 to about 0.02 weight/volume percent, at least one ophthalmically acceptable buffer component in an amount effective to maintain said ophthalmically acceptable aqueous solution at a pH in the range of about 6.8 to about 8, and at least one ophthalmically acceptable tonicity component in an amount effective to maintain said ophthalmically acceptable aqueous solution at an osmolality in the range of about 200 to about 400 mOsmol/kg, provided that said preserved ophthalmic solution is ophthalmically acceptable and is free of germicidally effective amounts of any positively charged, nitrogen-containing polymers.