WO2002031097A1

WO2002031097A1 - Cleaner for contact lens

Info

Publication number: WO2002031097A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/023090
Authority: WO
Inventors: Suzanne F. Groemminger; Joseph C. Salamone
Original assignee: Bausch & Lomb Incorporated
Priority date: 2000-10-06
Filing date: 2001-07-20
Publication date: 2002-04-18
Also published as: CA2425074A1; EP1322741A1; JP2004511625A; US20040214735A1; AU2001277092A1; US6872695B1

Abstract

An in-eye method for cleaning contact lenses comprises use of a cleaner using water-containing beads. The water-containing beads are prepared such that the bead size is smaller than the punctal opening. They are easily flushed from the ocular environment by normal tear flow. The cleaner may also be used to clean contact lenses, with the cleaner applied directly to the lens and digitally rubbed to remove accumulated debris on the lens.

Description

CLEANERFORCONTACT LENS

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a composition and method of cleaning contact lenses.

More specifically, the invention relates to a composition useful for in-eye cleaning of contact lenses.

Background of the Invention

Contact lenses need to be periodically treated, for example, disinfected, cleaned

soaked and the like, because of the tendency for a variety of microbes and other materials to

accumulate on the lenses. An efficacious disinfecting/cleaning regimen removes these accumulations and provides a contact lens that is safe and comfortable to wear.

Rigid, gas permeable and soft materials are produced from different materials having different chemical and physical properties. Lenses made from these different materials tend

to accumulate different types of deposits. Because different lenses tend to accumulate different types of deposits, it is difficult to formulate a cleaner that is effective against all of

the deposits, especially those deposits that are proteinaceous or sebaceous.

Conventional contact lens cleaning solutions contain one or two general classes of

cleaners. Surfactant cleaners, generally known as daily cleaners because of their

recommended daily use, are effective for the removal of most carbohydrate and lipid

(sebaceous) materials. Enzymatic cleaners, on the other hand, contain proteolytic enzymes and are typically recommended for weekly use to remove proteinaceous material such as

lysozyme.

Rigid gas-permeable (RGP or "hard") contact lenses and hydrogel ("soft") contact

lenses require different types of cleaners. Daily cleaners for RGP contact lenses usually

contain both a surfactant and a mechanical abrasive. The user cleans the RGP lenses by

rubbing the lens with the cleaning composition to remove the debris. Combinations of

surface active agents and mechanical cleaners are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,394,179 to

Ellis et al.

A typical method for daily cleaning contact lenses comprises the steps of:

(1) removing the contact lens from the eye;

(2) applying a cleaner to the contact lens;

(3) rubbing the contact lens with the cleaner; and

(4) rinsing the contact lens.

Rinsing solutions are normally used to remove any cleaner left on the lens after

cleaning. The rinsing solution must also be compatible with the ocular environment as some

solution will remain on the lens and be transferred into the eye when the lens is inserted.

With conventional abrasive cleaners, the lens needs to be thoroughly rinsed to avoid

carrying residual amounts of cleaner into the eye. Conventional abrasive cleaners need to be

removed from the lens before placing the lens in the eye because conventional abrasive

cleaners can cause both mechanical abrasion and chemical irritation if placed in the eye.

Aqueous suspensions of polymeric beads such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,655,957 to Chromececk and European Patent Application No. 0 063 472 to Su have

proven to be effective cleaning agents for removing deposits on contact lenses. In particular,

U.S. Patent No. 4,655,957 discloses an aqueous suspension having 0.001 to 25 weight

percent of a particulate hydrophilic polymer in a buffered, isotonic solution containing one

or more surfactants and optional preserving and sequestering agents.

European Patent Application No. 0 063 472 discloses a cleaner which comprises a

suspension containing a particulate organic polymer or polysiloxane of a hydrophobic,

thermoplastic nature.

European Patent Application No. 0 063 472 and U.S. Patent Nos. 4,613,379;

4,670,060; 4,792,414; and 5,037,484 (all to Su et al.) disclose a composition and method for

cleaning contact lenses with a particulate organic polymer or polysiloxane with a carrier.

The particulate polymer is selected from the group consisting of organic polymers,

polysiloxane polymers and mixtures thereof. The polysiloxane is of a hydrophobic,

thermoplastic nature. The resulting composition is compatible with ocular tissue and has a

viscosity sufficient to keep the particulate polymer suspended within the carrier. The

particulate polymers should have a degree of hardness and shape so as to be effective as a

cleaning agent but yet not have the ability to scratch the lens.

Abrasive cleaners need to remove deposits from contact lenses without scratching the

surface of the lenses. The abrasive beads used in the abrasive cleaner may be hydrophobic

or hydrophilic. Conventional hydrophobic beads tend to have higher surface hardness and

bulk rigidity than hydrophilic beads. Conventional hydrophilic beads, while softer and less likely to scratch the surface of the contact lens, tend to agglomerate and sink out of

suspension. Thus they tend to fall on the bottom and eventually cake together, requiring the

consumer to vigorously shake the bottle to re-suspend the beads

Summary of the Invention

This invention provides a method and composition for cleaning contact lenses. In

one embodiment, the invention provides a method for cleaning contact lenses while the

lenses are being worn in the eye.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a composition for cleaning contact

lenses using water-containing abrasive beads. The composition overcomes the problem of

sedimentation previously associated with the use of hydrophilic abrasive beads. In

accordance with the invention, it has been found that controlling the size of the bead

agglomeration as claimed surprisingly inhibits their sedimentation and permits the beads to

stay suspended in solution. Additionally, by controlling the initial size of the abrasive bead

agglomerates as claimed, the further extent of agglomeration appears to also be inherently

controlled such that the agglomerations themselves have diameters that allow the beads to be

compatible with ocular instillation and to be flushed from the eye by normal tear flow. The

cleaning composition may also be used with digital cleaning of a contact lens. While not to

limit the scope of the invention by a recitation of theory, it is believed that the water-

containing beads of the invention are themselves agglomerations of smaller beads that retain

water in the interstitial spaces between the smaller beads that make up the agglomerated

beads. Surprisingly, it has been found that the process set out in the Examples provides bead products that agglomerate to form water-containing beads as claimed. These water-

containing beads surprisingly agglomerate to form useful particle sizes without the problem

of excessive agglomeration associated with conventional hydrophilic beads.

The composition of cleaner may also comprise a thickening agent, at least one

surfactant, a cleaner, and a preservative. The abrasive water-containing beads ("abrasive

cleaner" or "beads") preferably consists of polyHEMA [poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)]

beads that form agglomerations less than 100 microns in diameter, preferably less than 50

microns. The agglomerated beads may contain from about 10 to about 90 weight percent

water, preferably 20 to 80 weight percent water and more preferably 40 to 60 weight percent

water.

The invention provides a composition for cleaning contact lenses, which composition

comprises water-containing beads having a mean particle size of less than 100, wherein at

least 75 weight percent of said water-containing beads have a major diameter of less than 50

μm. In a preferred embodiment, the water-containing beads have a mean particle size of less

than 50 and at least 75 weight percent of the water-containing beads have a major diameter

of less than 30 μm. In a more preferred embodiment, the water-containing beads have a

mean particle size of less than 40, wherein at least 75 weight percent of said water-

containing beads have a major diameter of less than 30 μm. The composition of the

invention may suitably comprise other ophthalmically compatible components including

thickening agents and/or surfactants. The beads are preferably a polyHEMA material of the composition taught in U.S.

Patent 4,655,957 to Chromecek et al., and may suitably comprise from about 0.05 to about

1.5 weight percent of the composition. In a preferred embodiment, the water-containing

beads are present in the amount of from about 0.1 to about 1.0 weight percent of the solution

composition, more preferably from about 0.25 to about 0.75 weight percent of the solution

composition, and most preferably from about 0.4 to about 0.6 weight percent of the solution

composition.

The solution composition may also contain one or more preservatives and thickening

agents. PAPB is a preferred preservative. Carboxy vinyl polymers are suitable thickening

agents, and carbomers (polymers of acrylic acid crosslinked with allyl sucrose) are preferred

thickening or gelling agents. In one preferred embodiment, the thickening agent comprises

at least one selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) with a molecular

weight distribution of from about 400 to about 4000, poly (ethylene oxide) hydroxyethyl

cellulose, methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose,

sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, HEMA, poly( vinyl alcohol), and poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)

(PVP).

In another embodiment, the invention provides a method of cleaning a contact lens in

the eye of a wearer comprising applying to said contact lens an ophthalmically compatible

contact lens cleaning solution comprising water-containing beads having a mean particle

size of less than 30, wherein at least 90 weight percent of said water-containing beads have a

major diameter of less than 50 μm. The method of the invention may further comprise the sequential steps of blinking and then rinsing the eye and the contact lens with an ophthalmic

rinsing solution to dilute or substantially remove the contact lens cleaning solution from the

eye. In a preferred embodiment, no rinsing step is needed, and the method is carried out in

the absence of a rinsing step.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention can be used with all contact lenses such as conventional hard,

soft, rigid and soft gas permeable, and silicone (including both hydrogel and non-hydrogel)

lenses, but is preferably employed with soft lenses. The composition and preparation of the

polymeric beads are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,870,145 to Chromecek. The '145

Chromecek patent is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and specifically for a

description the process for preparing water-containing polymeric beads.

This invention provides a process of making water-containing polymeric beads that

not only makes the beads less susceptible to excessive agglomeration but also permits the

beads to be used with a contact lens that is being worn in the eye. Surprisingly, it has been

found that controlling the particle size of the beads in accordance with the invention limits

the ultimate size of bead agglomerations within the solution. Thus the invention

surprisingly controls agglomeration such that the agglomerated beads are still small enough

to easily be washed from the surface of the contact lens and flushed from the eye through the

lacrimal puncta by the normal flow of tear fluid.

In one embodiment, the composition of the invention is a sterile, aqueous solution

that comprises: a) a thickening agent;

b) at least one surface active agent;

c) a cleaner;

d) a preservative; and

e) an abrasive cleaner consisting of polyHEMA beads and/or HEMA

copolymers

wherein said beads form agglomerations less than 100 microns in diameter,

preferably less than 50 microns.

The thickening agent may optionally comprise a gel matrix carrier being either a

pseudoplastic (viscosity affected by shear-liquification of gel upon blinking) such as xanthan

gum, or a material which is affected by the ionic strength of tears causing the gel matrix to

collapse, such as the Carbomer type gelling agents (i.e., Carbopol)

Thickening agents can include carboxy vinyl polymers of high molecular weight

such as the Carbomer type gelling agents (i.e., Carbopol available from B.F. Goodrich

Chemical Co.), poly(ethylene glycol) with a molecular weight distribution of 400 to 4000,

poly(ethylene oxide), methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose,

hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, low molecular weight

HEMA, poly(vinyl alcohol), and PNP to form a suspension. The end product may be a fluid

or may be a gel. The composition may further include other surface-active agents having cleaning

activity for contact lenses. A wide variety of surface active agents are known in the art as

cleaning agents, including anionic, cationic, nonionic and amphoteric surface active agents.

Representative anionic surface-active agents include sulfated and sulfonated surface

active agents, and physiologically acceptable salts thereof, which provide good cleaning

activity for lipids, proteins, and other contact lens deposits. Examples include sodium lauryl

sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate (sodium salt of sulfated ethoxylated lauryl alcohol),

ammonium laureth sulfate (ammonium salt of sulfated ethoxylated lauryl alcohol), sodium trideth sulfate (sodium salt of sulfated ethoxylated tridecyl alcohol), sodium

dodecylbenzenesulfonate, disodium lauryl or laureth sulfosuccinate (disodium salt of a

lauryl or ethoxylated lauryl alcohol half ester of sulfosuccinic acid), disodium oleamido sulfosuccinates, and dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (sodium salt of the diester of a 2- ethylhexyl alcohol and sulfosuccinic acid).

Nonionic surface active agents having good cleaning activity include certain

polyoxyethylene, polyoxypropylene block copolymer (poloxamine) surface active agents,

including various surface active agents available under the trade name Tetronic from BASF

Corp., e.g., Tetronic 1107. Other representative nonionic surface active agents include: ethoxylated alkyl phenols, such as various surface active agents available under the

tradenames Triton (Union Carbide, Tarrytown, N.Y., USA) and Igepal (Rhone-Poulenc,

Cranbury, N.J., USA); polysorbates such as polysorbate 20, including the polysorbate

surface active agents available under the tradename Tween (ICI Americas, Inc., Wilmington, Del., USA); and alkyl glucosides and polyglucosides such as products available under the

tradename Plantaren (Henkel Corp., Hoboken, N.J., USA).

The composition may include a cationic surface-active agent. Representative

cationic surface agents include triquaternary phosphate esters, such as various cationic

surface active agents available from Mona Industries, Inc., Patterson, N.J., USA under the

tradename Monaquat.

Additionally, the composition may include an amphoteric surface-active agent.

Amphoteric surface active agents include fatty acid amide betaines, such as the

cocoamidoalkyl betaines available under the tradename Tego-Betain (Goldschmidt

Chemical Corp., Hopewell, Na., USA). Other amphoterics include imidazoline derivatives

such as cocoamphopropionates available under the tradename Miranol (Rhone-Poulenc), and

n-alkylamino acids under the name gradename Mirataine (Rhone-Poulenc).

Preferred surfactants are neutral or nonionic surfactants which may be present in

amounts up to about 5% (w/v), preferably up to about 3% (w/v) and more preferably up to

about 1% (w/v). Examples of suitable surfactants include but are not limited to:

polyethylene glycol esters of fatty acids, polyoxypropylene ethers of C₁₂-C₁₈ alkanes and

polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block copolymers of ethylene diamine (i.e.,

poloxamine). Additionally, surfactants such as Pluronic (Wyanclotte Chemicals Co.),

Tween (Atlas Powder Company) or tyloxapol may be added.

In the preferred embodiment, the composition comprises at least one non-ionic

surfactant. In particular, the composition preferably comprises a block copolymer adduct of ethylene diamine. The surfactant is a poly(oxypropylene)-poly(oxyethylene) block

copolymer adduct of ethylene diamine having a molecular weight from about 10,000 to

about 20,000 where at least 40 weight percent, and more particularly, from about 40 to about

80 weight percent of the surfactant is poly(oxyethylene). More preferably, the

poly(oxypropylene)-poly(oxyethylene) block copolymer adduct will have a molecular

weight ranging from about 12,000 to about 19,000 where at least 60 weight percent, and more particularly, from about 60 to 80 weight percent of the adduct is poly(oxyethylene).

The foregoing surfactants are further described with methods for their manufacture in

U.S. Patent No. 2,979,528. They are also known by the generic name - poloxamine - and

are commercially available from B ASF-Wyandotte under the registered trademark

"Tetronic." The preferred embodiment comprises Tetronic 1107.

The composition may include a non-amine polyethyleneoxy-containing material in

addition to the above named surfactants. In addition to homopolymers of polyethylene

glycol or polyethyleneoxy, representative PEO-containing materials include certain

polyethyleneoxy-polypropyleneoxy block copolymers, also known as poloxamers. Such materials are commercially available under the tradename Pluronic from BASF Corporation,

Parsippany, N.J., USA, and include Pluronic Y108 and F127. Other suitable PEO-

containing materials include ethoxylated glucose derivatives, such as methyl gluceth-20

including the product available as Glucam E-20 (Amerchol Corp., Edison, N.J., USA). Other nonionic ethers of sorbitol or glycerol include products available under the tradename

Ethosperse, including sorbeth-20 supplied as Ethosperse SL-20 and glycereth-26 supplied as Ethosperse G-26 (Lonza Inc., Fair Lawn, N.J., USA). A preferred PEO-containing material

is glueth-10 available as Glucam E-10.

It is preferred that the composition comprises at least one, preferably two surface-

active agents. In particular, it is preferred that the composition comprises Tetronic 1107 and

Glucam E-10 in total concentration of from about 0.1 to about 1.0 weight percent, preferably

about 0.5 weight percent.

In addition to the surface-active agents just described, other cleaners may be

incorporated into the composition. In particular, a phosphonic acid, or a physiologically

compatible salt thereof as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,858,937, the entire disclosure

herewith incorporated by reference, may be included. A particularly preferred species is the

tetrasodium salt of l-hydroxyethylidene-l,l-diphosphonic acid, also referred to as

tetrasodium etidronate, commercially available from Monsanto Company under the

tradename of DeQuest® 2016 diphosphonic acid sodium salt or phosphonate. Suitable

concentrations for these phosphonic acids are in the range of from about 0.01 to about 0.50

weight percent, preferably about 0.1 weight percent.

The subject cleaner preferably includes at least one antimicrobial agent. As used

herein, the term antimicrobial agent is intended to mean non-oxidative organic chemicals

that derive their antimicrobial activity through a chemical or physicochemical interaction

with organisms. An antimicrobial agent is included in an amount effective to at least inhibit

growth of microorganisms in the composition. Narious antimicrobial are known in the art as

useful in contact lens solutions including: quaternary ammonium salts such as Polyquaternium 1® from ONYX Corporation; benzalkonium chloride; chlorhexidine (1,1-

hexamethylbis[5-(p-chlorophenyl)biguanide]) or water soluble salts thereof, such as

chlorhexidine gluconate; and preferrably polyhexamethylene biguanide (a polymer of

hexamethylene biguanide, also referred to as polyaminopropyl biguanide, available from

Zeneca, Wilmington, Del.) or water soluble salts thereof, such as the polyhexamethylene

biguanide hydrochloride available under the trade name Cosmocil CQ (ICI Americas Inc.).

Combinations of antimicrobial agents may also be employed. If used in the cleaner, the

antimicrobial agent should be used in an amount that will at least partially reduce the

microorganism population in the formulations employed. Typically, antimicrobial agent are

present in concentration ranging from about 0.00001% (w/v) to about 5% (w/v), depending

on the specific agent. More preferably, the antimicrobial agent is present from about

0.00003% (w/v) to about 0.05% (w/v).

Additionally, the cleaner may include a sequestering agent (EDTA), an osmolality adjusting agent and a pH adjuster for the gelling agent (i.e. NaOH). In a preferred

embodiment, the osmolality-adjusting agent is glycerol in concentration sufficient to provide

osmolality of 270mOsm/Kg, and the pH is adjusted by adding IN NaOH sufficient to

provide a solution pH of about 5-6.

Examples of preferred sequestering/chelating agents include ethylene

diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and its salts (sodium) which are normally employed in

amounts from about 0.024 to about 2.0% (w/v). Other known sequestering agents such as

certain poly(vinyl alcohol)s can also be used. Typically, the cleaner of the present invention is adjusted with tonicity agents to

approximate the osmotic pressure of normal lacrimal fluids which is equivalent to a 0.9

percent solution of sodium chloride or 2.5 percent gylcerol solution.

Examples of suitable tonicity adjusting agents include, but are not limited to: sodium

and potassium chloride, dextrose, glycerin, calcium and magnesium chloride. These agents

are typically used in amounts ranging from about 0.01 to 2.5% (w/v) and preferably, from

0.2 to about 1.5% (w/v). Preferably, the tonicity agent will be employed in an amount to

provide a final osmotic value of 200 to 450 mOsm kg and more preferably between about 250 to about 350 mOsm/kg, and most preferably between about 280 to about 320 mOsm/kg.

The pH of the present invention should be maintained within the range of 5.0 to 8.0,

more preferably about 6.0 to 8.0, most preferably about 6.8 to about 7.8.

As previously mentioned, the present invention can be used with all contact lenses

such as conventional hard, soft (water-containing), rigid and soft gas permeable, and silicone (including both hydrogel and non-hydrogel) lenses. Preferably the cleaner is employed with

hydrogel lenses. Such lenses absorb significant amounts of water such as from about 4 to

about 80 percent by weight. Lens materials include those prepared from monomers such as 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N-vinylpyrrolidone, glycerol

methacrylate, methacrylic acid or other acid esters. Preferred materials include those

disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,610,252 and 5,070,215 (both Bambury et al., assigned to

Bausch & Lomb Incorporated), the entire disclosures which are herewith incorporated by

reference. The composition of the invention can be used as a conventional abrasive contact lens

cleaning solution. Cleaning can be achieved if a few drops of the cleaner are initially placed

on each side of the lens, and the lens is rubbed for a period of time, for example,

approximately 20 seconds. The lens can then be rinsed with a rinsing solution such as

saline.

This invention is particularly useful for extended wear lenses or those lenses which

are worn for long periods of time without removal for cleamng. In another embodiment of the invention, a few drops of the cleaner may be instilled directly into the eye. As the

cleaner spreads over the lens, the contact lens wearer blinks. The blinking action causes the

water-containing beads in the solution to mechanically clean debris from the lens surface. As the hydrogel bead agglomerations are small, the beads do not irritate the ocular

environment and are easily flushed by the tear flow through the lacrimal puncta. Alternately, an eye rinsing solution may be used to flush any residue cleaner from the eye

region.

EXAMPLE 1

100 ml of technical grade xylene was placed into a 1 liter round bottom reaction flask fitted with a reflux condenser and purged with nitrogen. 2-Hydroxyethyl methacrylate

copolymer beads were prepared by dissolving 8 g 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 2 g

ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and 2 g methyl methacrylate into the reaction vessel. The

resulting solution was thoroughly mixed. 100 μl of tert butyl peroxide was added to the

mixture. The mixture was stirred, heated to 80° C and refluxed. Once a precipitate starts to form, the mixture is continuously stirred and removed from heat. Once the mixture reaches

room temperature, the excess xylene is filtered off. The filtrate is washed with hexane and

dried in an oven 12-18 hours at 60° C.

EXAMPLES 2-4

A base formulation was prepared having 20% glycerin, 0.025% EDTA, 0.5%

Glucam E-10, 0.010% DeQuest 2016, water and sufficient IN NaOH to neutralize the

carbomer material used to form a gel.

To an aliquot of the base formulation was added increasing concentrations of

Carbopol 974P to evaluate the gel formation characteristics.

EXAMPLE 5-11

A formulation was prepared containing the following constituents.

Ingredient Weight Percent

Carbopol 974P 1.0

Glycerol 2.0

Tetronic 1107 0.5

Disodium edetate 0.025

DeQuest 2016 0.10

PolyHEMA beads (prepared in accordance with Example 1) 0.5%

IN NaOH PRN

Water Qs 100% The sample was homogemzed using a Gifford-Wood bench-top homogenizer, set at

approximately 4500 rpm. Samples were removed to evaluate the extent of homogenization

needed to reduce the agglomerated particle size. The mean particle size was determined

using a Coulter LS Particle Size Analyzer.

Example Homogenization Time — Mean Particle Size /Percent less than 50 μm

Number. Minutes

5 Initial 139.4 microns / 54.1 %

6 1 minute 69.8 microns / 54.3 %

7 2 minutes 69.9 microns / 52.3 %

8 3 minutes 68.7 microns / 51.8 %

9 5 minutes 56.8 microns / 57.6 %

10 10 minutes 46.1 microns / 65.5 %

11 20 minutes 13.3 microns / 92.1 %

Claims

We claim:

1. A composition for cleaning contact lenses, said composition comprising water-

containing beads having a mean particle size of less than lOOμm, wherein at least 75

weight percent of said water-containing beads have a major diameter of less than 50

μm.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said water-containing beads having a mean

particle size of less than 50μm, wherein at least 75 weight percent of said water-

containing beads have a major diameter of less than 30 μm.

3. The composition of claim 2 wherein said water-containing beads having a mean

particle size of less than 40, wherein at least 75 weight percent of said water-

containing beads have a major diameter of less than 30 μm.

4. The composition of claim 1 further comprising

a) a thickening agent; and

b) at least one surfactant.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein said water-containing beads comprise

polyHEMA or HEMA copolymer.

6. The composition of Claim 1, wherein said water-containing beads are present in the

amount of from about 0.05 to about 1.5 weight percent of the composition.

7. The composition of claim 6 wherein said water-containing beads are present in the

amount of from about 0.1 to about 1.0 weight percent of the composition.

8. The composition of claim 7 wherein said water-containing beads are present in the

amount of from about 0.25 to about 0.75 weight percent of the composition.

9. The composition of claim 8 wherein said water-containing beads are present in the

amount of from about 0.4 to about 0.6 weight percent of the composition.

10. The composition of claim 1 comprising a preservative.

11. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the preservative is PAPB .

12. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a thickening agent.

13. The composition of claim 12 wherein the thickening agent is a carbomer.

14. The composition of claim 12 wherein the thickening agent comprises at least one

carboxy vinyl polymer.

15. The composition of claim 14 wherein said carboxy vinyl polymer further comprises a

carbomer-type gelling agents.

16. The composition of claim 12 wherein said thickening agent comprises at least one

selected from the group consisting of poly (ethylene glycol) with a molecular weight

distribution of from about 400 to about 4000, poly(ethylene oxide), hydroxyethyl

cellulose, methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl

cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, polyHEMA, poly(vinyl alcohol), and

PNP.

17. A method of cleaning a contact lens in the eye of a wearer comprising applying to

said contact lens an ophthalmically compatible contact lens cleaning solution

comprising water-containing beads having a mean particle size of less than 30, wherein at least 90 weight percent of said water-containing beads have a major

diameter of less than 50 μm.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said ophthalmic solution further comprises at least

one surfactant.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said ophthalmic solution further comprising the

sequential steps of blinking and then rinsing the eye and the contact lens to with an

ophthalmic rinsing solution to dilute or substantially remove the contact lens

cleaning solution from the eye.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said method is carried out in the absence of a

rinsing step.