Contact lens treatment apparatus and method
AssigneeIsoclear, Inc.
InventorMark L. Pankow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-contained apparatus for cleaning contact lenses comprising a deformable, non-abrasive material having an enzyme enriched layer for contact with the optical surfaces of the lenses. While in contact with the optical surfaces, the contaminants on the lens surfaces are enzymatically removed. Upon separation of the lenses and the deformable material, substantially all of the enzymes are retained on the deformable material, largely eliminating the need to perform additional operations to inactivate the enzymes or otherwise rid the lenses of residual enzymatic matter.
Claims20
An apparatus for enzymatically cleaning a contact lens having a lens surface and contaminated with contaminant matter, comprising:
- a solid phase material having a non-abrasive surface for engaging said lens surface;
- said non-abrasive surface further having enzymatic active matter bound thereto;
- and,
- a retainer for maintaining said non-abrasive surface in generally stationary contiguous engagement with the lens surface.
An apparatus for enzymatically cleaning a contact lens having a lens surface and contaminated with contaminant matter, comprising:
- a solid phase material having a non-abrasive surface for engaging said lens surface, said solid phase material selected from the group of natural and synthetic polymers and copolymers and mixtures thereof;
- said non-abrasive surface further having enzymatic active matter supported thereon, said enzymatic matter selected from the group consisting of proteolytic enzymes and lipases, and mixtures thereof;
- said enzymatic matter being wetted with an opthalmologically compatible liquid;
- and,
- a container for maintaining said enzymatic matter in stationary contiguous wetted engagement with the lens surface.
A method of enzymatically cleaning a contact lens contaminated with foreign substrate compositions and having a lens surface, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a solid phase, the solid phase having a generally non-abrasive enzyme enriched reactive surface against which the lens is contiguously positionable, and which when positioned in contiguous wetted contact to the lens surface attacks the foreign substrate compositions on the lens;
- positioning the lens surface in generally contiguous engagement with the reactive surface;
- wetting the engaging surface with an opthalmologically-compatible solution;
- maintaining the lens surface in contact with the reactive surface for a period of time sufficient to enzymatically act on the foreign substrate compositions on the lens;
- and
- removing the lens from the reactive treatment material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.