Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Designated organic active ingredient containing – Sulfur – selenium or tellurium compound
Reexamination Certificate
1993-12-09
2001-06-26
Fay, Zohren (Department: 1614)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Designated organic active ingredient containing
Sulfur, selenium or tellurium compound
C514S912000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06251952
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to methods, apparatus and substances for moisturizing the eye and particularly to moisturizing the eye with natural tears, i.e., by inducing natural tear production rather than introducing artificial tears.
Many people suffer from what is commonly known as “dry eye”. The condition arises from lack of sufficient tear production and results in a variety of symptoms such as burning, itching and undue sensitivity to smoke. The condition is more common in older adults inasmuch as a gradual lessening of tear production is a natural concomitant of the aging process. However, younger persons also suffer dry eye as a pathological disorder and the problem is particularly acute with the wearers of contact lenses. In this case, tear production may be entirely adequate for normal purposes but insufficient to provide adequate wetting and lubrication to permit wearing such lenses in comfort.
As any wearer of contact lenses knows, the low humidity of the average home or office in winter, windy days, and other ambient climatological conditions greatly aggravate the situation and often times precludes wearing contact lenses. With prolonged wear under drying conditions, the eye sometimes generates mucous which coats the lenses to the point that they can become opaque. If this occurs while the wearer is reading, say, a research paper before a learned society or making a presentation at a business meeting, it can be embarrassing; while driving, dangerous.
With more than discomfort involved, it is important that the eyes be quickly, easily, and effectively moisturized and there is a need to do this without embarrassment in public places and social situations.
THE PRIOR ART
At the present time numerous eye moisturizing products are available ranging from simple artificial tears to lens clearing and lubricating solutions and additives calculated to “get the red out”.
While these products vary widely in effectiveness, cost and the claims made for them, they have one thing in common: insofar as is known, all are liquids intended for macroscopic introduction into the eye in the form of drops and are packaged either in plastic squeeze-bottle droplet dispensers or glass containers having caps fitted with an eye dropper. They are intended to be administered by tilting back one's head, putting the dropper nozzle over and in proximity to the eye (being careful to observe the label warning not to touch the tip lest the contents of the dispenser become contaminated), and allow a drop or two to fall into one eye at a time.
Another method of administration of liquid drops involves pulling down the lower eyelid to form a pocket and placing the drops into the pocket.
With practice, some users become so proficient with one or the other technique that they can get a high percentage of the drops dispensed to fall into the eye. Near misses can be dealt with if tissues are handy and, if not, the drops roll harmlessly down the cheeks, the only occasional casualty being smeared mascara unless of course one is foolish enough to attempt the administration while driving!
From the foregoing it will be noted that a well-equipped wearer of contact lenses should carry: a lens case (to store the lenses in the event that dryness forces their removal); a pair of corrective spectacles to substitute for the “contacts”; a bottle of eye drops; and a supply of tissues.
Those persons who do not wear or aspire to wear contact lens but have dry eye suffer only slightly fewer vexations, viz., they are not burdened with the contact wearers paraphernalia.
With the foregoing state of the art in view, it is the object of this invention to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art as outlined above.
A further object is the provision of methods and means for moisturizing the eye without introducing moisturizing liquid into the eye.
Another object is to provide methods and means for inducing “dry eyes” to generate natural tear in situ. A still further object is to provide means for moisturizing the eye which can be employed discretely and without attracting notice in public places.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
To the fulfillment of these and other objects, the invention contemplates a method for moisturizing the eye by the microscopic introduction into the eye in gaseous or vapor form, a substance causing the generation of tears by the lachrymatory glands.
The substance is a lachrymatory agent vaporizable at room temperature diluted to a concentration which causes tearing of the eye without untoward smarting or irritation.
The invention further contemplates a device for moisturizing the eye comprising a container having an and a closure member normally closing the opening. Means are provided for opening the closure member and a lachrymatory agent as described above is disposed in the container.
A kit comprising an amount of lachrymatory agent and means for dispensing an effective amount of said lachrymatory agent to cause tears.
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Barodnitz, Michael H. and Pascale, John V., “Thiopropnanl S-Oxide: A Lachrymatory Factor in Onions”, 1971, J. Arg. Food Chem., pp. 269-272, vol. 19, No. 2.
Block, Eric, et al., “Dimer of the Onion Lachrymatory Factor: The First Stable 1,2-Dithietane Derivative”, Mar. 26, 1980, Journal of the American Chemical Society, pp. 2490-2491.
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Qualitas Plantarum 1980, 30(2):117-122 Bajaj et al.
Belmar Corporation
Fay Zohren
Pennie & Edmonds LLP
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