Catherine A. Scheuer

Retention of conditioning agent hyaluronan on hydrogel contact lenses

Hyaluronan, a member of the glycosaminoglycan family of biological polysaccharides, is a high-molecular-weight disaccharide polymer found throughout the human body, particularly in the eye. Bausch+Lomb Biotrue™ multi-purpose solution contains hyaluronan as a lens conditioning agent. The retention of hyaluronan from Biotrue multi-purpose solution to a variety of hydrogel contact lenses was evaluated over time. Fluorescein-tagged hyaluronan was allowed to adhere to lenses, which were then rinsed with balanced salt solution at a rate comparable to human tear secretion. Results demonstrated that hyaluronan was released slowly throughout the rinse period. The chemistry of the lens materials appeared to contribute to the hyaluronan retention capacity for each lens type. The results suggest that a multi-purpose solution containing hyaluronan has the potential to provide lens conditioning regardless of the hydrogel contact lens used.