The packaging and dispensing of liquid ophthalmic preparations has traditionally presented a number of challenges with regard to preserving the sterility of the medication and preventing contamination while still allowing the patient to open the pack and administer the product accurately and at the correct dose.
According to G Dinakaran, Chairman and Managing Director of Doctor Pack India, based in Bangalore, there are three main options widely used today. The first is a container/closure system consisting of three components: a squeezable plastics bottle; an open nozzle and a cap. The second is comprised of two components: a squeezable plastics bottle with a sealed nozzle manufactured using blow/fill/seal (BFS) technology; and a closure that incorporates a method of piercing the nozzle.
The final option is another three-part container/closure solution consisting of a squeezable plastics bottle, a closed nozzle and a piercing cap. The second and third options are deemed preferable, especially in developing countries, as the product is hermetically sealed within the container until the diaphragm is pierced for dispensing. The closed container system eliminates the risk of sterility failure or leakage due to improper capping in the assembly machine; in the first option, which has an open nozzle, the seal integrity depends on the capping torque and the final capping seating position above the nozzle hole. Even a slight cross capping can cause the leakage as well as loss of sterility.
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