The Ultimate Guide to Contact Lens Solutions
Selecting the appropriate contact lens solution is crucial for maintaining your vision and eye comfort. In this comprehensive guide to lens solutions, we’ll explore the best practices for using various cleaning and disinfecting solutions tailored to your contacts. Learn to navigate the options and ensure your lenses are as comfortable and hygienic as the day you got them.
Key Takeaways
Effective maintenance of contact lenses requires appropriate products for cleaning, disinfecting, and hydrating, according to the lens type and material.
Multi-purpose solutions offer a convenient option for users of soft contact lenses, providing several care functions in one bottle, while hydrogen peroxide solutions are ideal for deeper cleaning and those with sensitive eyes.
Gas permeable lenses need specialised products to maintain their shape and cleanliness, while saline solutions are used for final rinsing and hydrating after the use of other disinfectant agents.
Understanding Contact Lens Solutions
Contact lens solutions play a crucial role in maintaining the health and comfort of your eyes. They keep your contacts clean and disinfected, which is neccessary for clear vision and avoiding infections. Depending on the type of lenses, contact lens wearers might need different products such as multipurpose, hydrogen peroxide, or saline solutions.
These liquids not only clean your contacts but also keep them hydrated, ensuring a comfortable wearing experience.
Soft Lenses Solution
If you wear soft contacts, such as weekly lenses, daily cleaning is vital to maintain eye health and comfort. You need a daily cleaner that effectively removes deposits and debris from the contacts surface. However, keep in mind that daily cleaners do not have disinfecting properties.
Therefore, after using a daily cleaner, you must rinse and store your contacts using an appropriate solution to ensure they are safe to wear.
Gas Permeable Lens Solution
Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) lenses, also known as hard contact lenses, require specific care systems that are different from the solution for soft contacts. These products are specially formulated to ensure proper maintenance of RGPs, which are known for their ability to provide sharper vision than soft lenses.
Specialty Solution
Saline solutions are a sterilised mixture of salt and water, designed for rinsing and storing keeping lenses hydrated. These products are particularly suited for contacts that require daily cleaning such as bi-weekly or monthly lenses.
The All-Rounder: Multi-Purpose Solutions
A multi-purpose solution is a convenient option for daily lens care. They combine cleaning, disinfecting, rinsing, and storing functions in one bottle.
To make the most of these products, it’s essential to use a clean contact lens case for storage, ensuring it’s not a case filled with old solution. Don’t top up with more solution in the case you use to store contacts, replace the old one and add fresh product.
These products are suitable for a range of soft lens types, including:
standard
toric
multifocal
silicone hydrogel
To use, simply place a few drops of fresh solution on the lenses, gently rub, and then store the lenses in a contact lens case filled with the same solution overnight. These are engineered to mimic the eye’s natural tears, ensuring lenses remain moist and comfortable for extended wear.
However, multi purpose solution contains preservatives which can be problematic for sensitive eyes or dry eyes with redness.
Top Multi-Purpose Solutions
Multi-purpose contact lens solutions are specifically designed to be a convenient way to clean, disinfect, and hydrate, often in one simple step.
Everclear multi-purpose solution, for example, is known for its effectiveness on hydrogel lenses, offering quality cleaning and affordable hydration as one of the best contact lens cleaners.
Opti-Free RepleniSH provides extra moisture retention for soft lenses by keeping tear fluid for extended periods.
Renu multi purpose solution is another popular choice but, like other multi-use products designed for several tasks, it would give the deep clean of hydrogen peroxide solution.
Ask for your optician’s recommendations and which has the most benefits in your particular case.
Power Clean: Hydrogen Peroxide Solution
Peroxide offers a deeper clean and a higher level of hygiene for soft contact lenses, beneficial for those with sensitive eyes.
Because they are generally preservative-free, a hydrogen peroxide solution is a suitable option for individuals with allergies or sensitivities to common preservatives in multi-purpose solutions.
Peroxide helps remove lipid build up and kill bacteria and other microorganisms. Peroxide removes proteins, keeping the contact lens surface clear.
Leading Hydrogen Peroxide Solutions
Hydrogen peroxide solutions typically come with special lens cases featuring built-in neutralisers to safely convert the peroxide into water after the disinfection process is complete.
EasySept by Bausch & Lomb and AOsept Plus with HydraGlyde by Alcon & Ciba Vision are leading hydrogen peroxide solutions that include special lens cases with neutralisers.
Tailored Care: Hard and Gas Permeable (RGP) Contact Lens Solutions
For hard contact lenses, also known as rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses, the best solution is a multipurpose solution designed for RGPs. These products are formulated to effectively clean, disinfect, and condition the hard lens material without causing damage.
Some popular RGP multipurpose agents include:
1. Boston Simplus Multi-Action Solution: This solution is designed to clean, disinfect, and condition any RGP contact lens, as well as remove protein deposits.
2. Menicon Unique pH Multi-Purpose Solution: This solution is specially formulated to maintain the surface quality of RGP lenses and provide excellent cleaning and disinfection.
3. Lobob Optimum Extra Strength Cleaner: This is a powerful once a day cleaner for RGPs that removes protein deposits and debris.
In addition to multipurpose products, RGP lens wearers may also use:
1. Daily cleaners: These are used to remove debris and protein buildup from the contact surface before disinfection.
2. Conditioning agents: These help maintain surface quality and improve wetting for better comfort.
3. Wetting drops: These can be used to improve lens comfort and reduce dryness throughout the day.
It’s vital to follow the instructions provided by your eye care professional and the solution manufacturer when caring for your hard lenses. Always use fresh solution and never mix different types or brands unless advised by your eye doctor.
Rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lens solutions are meticulously formulated for the specialised maintenance RGPs require. These are essential for keeping RGP lenses clean, hygienic, and comfortable, as they remove accumulated dirt, debris, and protein deposits.
Other Gas Permeable Solutions
Regard K RGP Contact Lens Solutions 3 Month Pack is a top choice for RGPs due to its preservative-free formula and the use of OxyChlorite™ for effective disinfection without needing protein removal tablets.
Boston Advance Multipack by Bausch & Lomb offers both cleaning and conditioning for RGP lenses, utilising a multi-polymer cushioning system to enhance wearer comfort and reduce irritation.
Quick Rinse: Saline Solutions for Contact Lenses
Saline solution is specifically formulated for rinsing and hydrating contact lenses after they have been cleaned and disinfected with other products. Using saline helps to maintain the correct shape and condition of contact lenses, making them comfortable to wear after cleaning.
Popular Saline Solution Products
Lens Plus Ocupure Saline is recognised for its pH level that mimics natural tears, promoting ocular comfort. This liquid is versatile as it can be used with both RGP and soft contact lenses.
Deep Dive: Enzymatic Tablets for Contact Lenses
Enzymatic tablets are designed for deep cleaning of contact lenses, targeting the removal of stubborn protein build-up, as part of specialised lens care. For maintaining optimal hygiene, enzymatic tablets should be added to the cleaning routine every one to two weeks, complementing daily or weekly liquid protein removers.
Top Enzymatic Tablet Brands
Oté Clean is recognized for its deep cleaning capabilities, reacting with proteins and debris on lenses thanks to its Polyhexanide Biguanide component.
Ultrazyme Universal tablets are formulated to dissolve protein build-ups resulting from daily wear and provide a thorough cleaning solution for contact lenses.
Expert Advice: Tips for Choosing and Using Contact Lens Solutions
There are many different types of contact lens. When selecting a lens solution, it is important to first identify the type of lenses you have, as this determines the care regime required. Choose a solution that is recommended by an optometrist or ophthalmologist to ensure it effectively removes protein buildup and maintains lens moisture.
Summary
In conclusion, the health of your eyes and the longevity of your contact lenses rely heavily on the solution you use. From multipurpose to peroxide ones, choosing the right contact lens solution can keep your lenses in optimal condition and your vision crystal clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use as contact lens solution?
You can use peroxide, saline nasal spray, or eye refreshing drops as substitutes for contact lens solution. Be cautious and ensure these substitutes are safe before using them.
What contact lens solution should I use for my lenses?
Saline solution is only suitable for rinsing lenses, while multipurpose and peroxide solutions clean, disinfect, hydrate, and store lenses, suiting different lifestyles and eye health needs. It is important to choose the right solution based on your individual needs.
Which contact lens solution is best?
Bausch & Lomb Biotrue Multi-Purpose Solution is highly rated for its effective cleaning, disinfecting, and comfort for all-day wear.
How do I choose a contact lens solution?
To choose the right contact lens solution, first determine the type of contact lenses you have and then learn about the different types of cleaning products and their usage. Date not available.
What is the importance of my contact lens solution?
Your contact lens solution is important for keeping your lenses clean, disinfected, and maintaining clear vision while avoiding eye infections.
