Method and kit for moisturizing the surface of the eye

Abstract

A method for moisturizing the eye in which an amount of aqueous fluid is administered to the eye in an amount below that which causes flooding of the eye and removal of the normal tear film from the surface of the eye. The fluid, when administered in accordance with the invention, rehydrates the already present tear film rather than replacing the tear film. A kit for moisturizing the eye in accordance with the invention is also disclosed.

1 . A method for moisturizing the eye comprising spraying a mist comprising droplets of water having an average diameter between 5 and 150 microns on the surface of the eye of a subject in need thereof, wherein the amount of water that is sprayed on the eye is sufficient to hydrate the aqueous layer of the tear film on the eye of the subject but is below that which will wash away the tear film, and wherein the mist is sprayed from a device comprising a sealed container, water within said container, and an actuator for spraying a mist of water from said container, and wherein the water is sprayed on the surface of the eye within a period of 10 seconds. 
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the subject is suffering from dry eye. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein proteins and electrolytes that were present in the tear film on the surface of the eye prior to the delivery of the aqueous fluid are present in the tear film following the delivery of the aqueous fluid to the surface of the eye as determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the device further comprises a sealed flexible pouch containing said water within said container and a pressurization agent between said container and said pouch. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the water is sprayed within a period of 5 seconds. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein less than about 10 μl is sprayed onto the surface of the eye. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein between about 0.5 and 6 μl is sprayed onto the surface of the eye. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein between about 2 and 5 μl is sprayed onto the surface of the eye. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the subject is suffering from dryness of the eye. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the osmolarity of the mist is less than 311 mOsm. 
   
   
       11 . A device for moisturizing the surface of the eye comprising a sealed container, an aqueous fluid consisting essentially of water within said container, and an actuator that delivers a mist of said fluid from said container. 
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11  which further comprises a sealed flexible pouch within said container, which pouch contains said aqueous fluid, and a pressurization agent between said container and said pouch. 
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 11  wherein the actuator controllably administers between 0.5 and 50 μl of the aqueous fluid to a surface of 2 cm 2  in 5 seconds or less. 
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the mist consists of droplets of the aqueous fluid having an average diameter of less than 150 microns. 
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 1  wherein, when the actuator is actuated to spray a mist of said fluid, the amount of fluid that is delivered is sufficient to hydrate the aqueous layer of the tear film on the eye of the subject but is below that which will flood the eye. 
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the aqueous fluid is free of constituents other than water that provide a therapeutic effect to the surface of the eye. 
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the container is a rigid container. 
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the rigid container is metallic.