Composition for Treating Dry Eye and Related Methods of Manufacture and Methods of Use

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a composition for treating dry eye comprising, in one embodiment, carboxymethylcellulose and a polyol. Such compositions have been found to alleviate the symptoms of dry eye and remain in the eye for a long period of time.

1 . A dry eye composition comprising an aqueous solution that comprises carboxy-containing polymer at a concentration from about 0.01 to about 2 percent by weight of the solution, and a single polyol at a concentration from about 0.01 to about 2 percent by weight of the solution, wherein the carboxy-containing polymer comprises a carbomer, and wherein the polyol contains 2 to 6 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         2 . The dry eye composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polyol contains 2 to 4 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         3 . The dry eye composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polyol is glycerin. 
     
     
         4 . The dry eye composition of  claim 1 , wherein the carboxy-containing polymer has a molecular weight in a range from 90 kDa to 700 kDa. 
     
     
         5 . The dry eye composition of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the carboxy-containing polymer is from about 0.01 to about 1.2 percent by weight of the solution, and the concentration of the polyols is from about 0.01 to about 1 percent by weight of the solution. 
     
     
         6 . The dry eye composition of  claim 5 , wherein the composition has an osmolality from about 240 mOsm/kg to about 320 mOsm/kg. 
     
     
         7 . The dry eye composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polyol is selected from the group consisting of glycerin, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, sorbitol, mannitol and monosaccharides.