Claims for Patent: 5,578,578

Summary for Patent: 5,578,578

Title:	Ophthalmic solutions
Abstract:	Disclosed are solutions useful in surgery comprising a viscous or viscoelastic substance in an aqueous vehicle which is characterized as physiologically compatible; also disclosed are methods of using such solutions, implanting such viscous or viscoelastic substances, while minimizing the traumatic effect of surgery at the cellular level.
Inventor(s):	Hecht; Gerald (Fort Worth, TX), Lorenzetti; Ole J. (Fort Worth, TX)
Assignee:	Alcon Laboratories, Inc. (Fort Worth, TX)
Application Number:	08/425,132
Patent Claims:	1. An ophthalmic solution comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a viscous or viscoelastic material selected from the group consisting of collagen, modified collagen and modified cellulose and combinations thereof in a physiologically compatible salt solution, the salt solution containing bicarbonate ions. 2. The solution of claim 1 wherein the physiologically compatible salt solution further contains sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium ions. 3. The solution of claim 1 wherein the viscous or viscoelastic material comprises hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. 4. The solution of claim 1 wherein the bicarbonate ions are present in a concentration of between about 10 mM/L and about 50 mM/L.