Contact Lens Cleaning System With Monitor

Abstract

The invention monitors the neutralization process involving hydrogen peroxide solution and a hydrogen peroxide neutralization catalyst and compares measured values with theoretical values. The system monitors the chemical reaction and notifies the user of the neutralization status. In an exemplary embodiment, the initial hydrogen peroxide solution concentration is neutralized with a palladium catalyst after a period of time. A microcontroller analyzes the measurements and displays the neutralization process results using colored LED lights and/or text or images on a LCD display. In one embodiment, an apparatus adapted for use with a cleaning solution used to clean a medical device may include a trigger, a processing device in communication with the trigger, and a display device. The processing device provides a trigger count and the display device communicates with the processing device and displays a message based on the count.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A contact lens cleaning system comprising:
 a contact lens holder;   a vial adapted to contain the contact lens holder and a cleaning solution, wherein a catalyst is capable of neutralizing the cleaning solution;   a sensor capable of providing data on a rate of neutralization of the cleaning solution;   a processing device in communication with the sensor to receive the rate of neutralization data from the sensor; and   a display in communication with the processing device, the processing device being adapted to operate the display to provide cleaning efficacy information based on the rate of neutralization data.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the processing device is adapted to determine a temperature change rate from the rate of neutralization data. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the processing device is further adapted to determine cleaning efficacy by comparing the temperature change rate to a theoretical temperature change rate. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  further comprising an ambient temperature sensor disposed outside of the vial and adapted to measure a temperature of air surrounding the vial, the processing device being further adapted to determine cleaning efficacy using a temperature signal from the ambient temperature sensor to correct for ambient temperature affect to the approximate rate of temperature change as compared to the theoretical temperature change rate. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a use counter communicating with the processing device, the processing device being further adapted to display information corresponding to the number of cleaning uses of the cleaning system. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a solution sensor disposed within the vial, the processing device being further adapted to determine the presence of cleaning solution within the vial based on a signal from the solution sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the catalyst comprises platinum. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the cleaning solution comprises hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the sensor is a conductivity sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the processing device is adapted to determine a conductivity change rate from the rate of neutralization data. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the processing device is further adapted to determine cleaning efficacy by comparing the conductivity change rate to a theoretical conductivity change rate. 
     
     
         14 . A contact lens cleaning system comprising:
 a contact lens holder;   a vial adapted to contain the contact lens holder and a cleaning solution, wherein a catalyst is capable of neutralizing the cleaning solution;   a sensor capable of providing data on a characteristic of the neutralization of the cleaning solution;   a processing device in communication with the sensor to receive the data from the reaction sensor and determine an approximate rate of neutralization using the data; and   a display in communication with the processing device, the processing device being adapted to operate the display to provide cleaning efficacy information based on the approximate rate of neutralization.   
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the characteristic of the chemical reaction is temperature resulting from heat produced by the neutralization of the cleaning solution, and wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the processing device is further adapted to determine cleaning efficacy by comparing the approximate rate of temperature change to a theoretically determined rate of temperature change for the neutralization of the cleaning solution. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16  further comprising an ambient temperature sensor disposed outside of the vial and adapted to measure a temperature of air surrounding the vial, the processing device being further adapted to determine cleaning efficacy using a temperature signal from the ambient temperature sensor to correct for ambient temperature affect to the approximate rate of temperature change as compared to the theoretically determined rate of temperature change. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the characteristic of the neutralization of the cleaning solution is pressure resulting from a gas product from the neutralization, and wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 18 , wherein the processing device is further adapted to determine cleaning efficacy by comparing the approximate rate of pressure change to a theoretically determined rate of pressure change for the neutralization. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 14  wherein the catalyst comprises platinum. 
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 14  wherein the cleaning solution comprises hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the characteristic of the neutralization of the cleaning solution is conductivity resulting from the neutralization of the cleaning solution, and wherein the sensor is a conductivity sensor. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 22 , wherein the processing device is further adapted to determine cleaning efficacy by comparing the approximate rate of conductivity change to a theoretically determined rate of conductivity change for the neutralization of the cleaning solution. 
     
     
         24 . A contact lens cleaning system comprising:
 a contact lens holder;   a vial adapted to contain the contact lens holder and a cleaning solution;   a sensor capable of generating data related to a rate of neutralization of the cleaning solution;   a processing device in communication with the sensor to obtain the data and determine an approximate rate of neutralization of the cleaning solution using the data; and   a display in communication with the processing device, the processing device being adapted to operate the display to provide cleaning efficacy information based on the approximate rate of neutralization.   
     
     
         25 . The contact lens cleaning system according to  claim 24 , wherein neutralization of the cleaning solution is catalyzed by a catalyst.