JP-7855167-B2 - Treatment solution for soft contact lenses

Inventors

• 五反田 龍矢
• 岩切 規郎

Assignees

• 日油株式会社

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20221024

Priority Date

20211029

Claims (4)

1. A treatment solution for soft contact lenses containing 0.001 to 2.0 w/v% of copolymer (P), which has constituent units represented by the following formulas (1a) and (1b), with a molar ratio n a : n b of 10 to 90 : 10 to 90, and a weight-average molecular weight of 10,000 to 5,000,000. [In formulas (1a) and (1b), R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. In formula (1b), n represents 4 to 90.]
2. The treatment solution for soft contact lenses according to claim 1, wherein the constituent unit (1a) is 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl 2-(trimethylammonio)ethyl phosphate.
3. The processing solution for soft contact lenses according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the copolymer (P) is a copolymer consisting of structural units represented by formulas (1a) and (1b).
4. The soft contact lens treatment solution according to claim 1, wherein the constituent unit (1a) is 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl 2-(trimethylammonio)ethyl phosphate, and the constituent unit (1b) is methoxypolyethylene glycol methacrylate.

Description

This disclosure relates to a processing solution for soft contact lenses that, through a simple process, imparts excellent and long-lasting hydrophilicity and lubricity to the surface of the soft contact lens, thereby providing a soft contact lens that offers a comfortable wearing experience throughout the day. This application claims priority to Japanese application No. 2021-177580, as incorporated herein by reference. The comfort of wearing soft contact lenses is deeply related to the hydrophilicity and lubricity of the lens surface. To obtain soft contact lenses that provide all-day comfort, it is necessary for the lens surface to maintain high hydrophilicity and lubricity for an extended period of time. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for applying plasma treatment to soft contact lenses. Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for hydrophilizing the surface of soft contact lenses by chemically bonding a soft contact lens having reactive groups with a hydrophilic polymer having reactive groups. Patent Documents 1 and 2 apply treatment to the soft contact lens itself to impart excellent hydrophilicity to the surface of the soft contact lens. While these methods excel in hydrophilicity and durability, there was room for improvement in lubricity. Furthermore, the complex surface treatment process necessitates highly controlled manufacturing facilities, which can be economically disadvantageous. Patent documents 3 and 4 disclose a technology for improving the wearing comfort of soft contact lenses by incorporating polyethylene glycol, cellulose-based polymers, etc., into a treatment solution for soft contact lenses to impart and enhance hydrophilicity to the surface of soft contact lenses. Polymers containing phosphorylcholine-like groups are known to have excellent properties such as high hydrophilicity and high moisturizing properties, possessing a phospholipid-like structure derived from biological membranes. Patent Document 5 describes a technology that improves the wearing comfort of soft contact lenses by adding a copolymer of a phosphorylcholine-containing monomer and butyl methacrylate to a treatment solution. WO2010/092686WO0001/074932WO2009/032122WO2012/098653US2009/0100801 The processing solution for soft contact lenses of this disclosure contains 0.001 to 2.0 w/v% of copolymer (P), which has constituent units represented by the following formulas (1a) and (1b), with a molar ratio n a : n b of 10 to 90 : 10 to 90, and a weight-average molecular weight of 10,000 to 5,000,000. In formulas (1a) and (1b), R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. In formula (1b), n represents 4 to 90. In this specification, "(meth)acrylate" means "acrylate or methacrylate," and the same applies to other similar terms. Furthermore, when preferred numerical ranges (for example, ranges for concentration or weight-average molecular weight) are described in steps in this specification, each lower limit and upper limit can be combined independently. For example, in the description "preferably 10 or more, more preferably 20 or more, and preferably 100 or less, and more preferably 90 or less," the "preferred lower limit: 10" and the "more preferred upper limit: 90" can be combined to get "10 or more and 90 or less." Similarly, in the description "preferably 10 to 100, more preferably 20 to 90," the range can be changed to "10 to 90." In this specification, "soft contact lens processing solution" (in particular, "soft contact lens shipping solution") refers to a solution that is sealed in a packaging container such as a blister package along with the soft contact lenses when they are distributed. Generally, soft contact lenses are used in a swollen state with an aqueous solution, so the lenses are sealed in a packaging container in a swollen state with the aqueous solution at the time of factory shipment so that they can be used immediately. <Copolymer (P)> The copolymer (P) used (included) in the processing solution for soft contact lenses of this disclosure comprises constituent units represented by the following formulas (1a) and (1b), wherein the molar ratio n a : n b of each constituent unit is 10 to 90 : 10 to 90 (or n a : n b is 100 : 10 to 900), and the weight-average molecular weight is 10,000 to 5,000,000. A constituent unit refers to a compound unit contained in a polymer based on or derived from each monomer. In formulas (1a) and (1b), R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. In formula (1b), n represents 4 to 90. [Monomer represented by formula (1a)] The copolymer (P) used in this disclosure has a constituent unit represented by the following general formula (1a). This constituent unit is obtained by polymerizing a hydrophilic monomer represented by the following general formula (1a'), that is, a monomer having a phosphorylcholine structure (hereinafter also referred to as "hydrophilic monomer" or "PC monomer"). By including the PC monomer as