Contact lens disinfecting and preserving solution comprising chlorhexidine and salts thereof

Claim 1

An aqueous solution for preserving and/or disinfecting soft contact lenses having as the active antimicrobial agent a combination 0.0005 to 0.01 weight percent of said composition chlorhexidine or salt thereof, 0.0035 to 0.04 weight percent of said composition of amphoteric surfactant and 0.002 to 15 weight percent of said composition of a nonionic surfactant having a hydrophiliclipophile balance between 12.4 and 18.8, said amphoteric surfactant being selected from the group consisting of: ##STR13## wherein R is a fatty acid radical having 6 to 18 carbon atoms R 1 is H or --CH 2 C(O)O provided that when R 1 is H then M 1 is absent R 2 is --CH 2 C(O)O or CH(OH)CH 2 SO 3 M and M 1 are cation salt forming groups X is OH or the acid group of an anionic surfact active agent n is an integer from 1 to 40; ##STR14## wherein R is a hydrophobe radical M is an alkali metal X is selected from CH 3 OSO, C 2 H 5 OSO 3 , Cl or Br n is an integer from 1 to 40; ##STR15## wherein R 1 is a fatty acid or hydrophobe radical R 2 is alkyl or substituted alkyl Z is sulfate or sulfonic M is alkali metal X is CH 3 OSO 3 , C 2 H 5 OSO 3 , Cl or Br; or ##STR16## wherein R is alkylene of 12-13 carbon atoms, said nonionic surfactant being selected from polyethylene glycol esters of fatty acids, polyoxyethylene ethers of higher alkanes and polyoxypropylene ethers of higher alkanes.