Choosing the Right Type of Contact Lens Solution

There are various types of contact lens solutions available. Some soak, some rinse, some disinfect whereas some do all the three. Depending on your life style and sensitivities, you can choose the one that best fits. Contact lens solutions should be thoughtfully purchased, after giving a thorough read to the label. It is always good to do the homework before you twiddle mindlessly at the shelves of the mart.

Also Read: [ Things you Need to Know about Contact Lens Solution]

Which Contact Lens Solution is Right for Me?

Saline Solution: Saline solution is a sterile salt solution. It stores contact lenses and rinse them but do not clean and disinfect. Saline solutions are required when you are using heat or UV disinfecting system. Since some people are irritated to one step cleaning and disinfecting solutions, they can go for UV disinfecting system if they find hydrogen peroxide way too expensive. Saline solution may also be used for cleaning the contact lens disinfecting devices.

Daily Cleaners: Daily cleaners are used for cleaning contact lenses on daily basis. They are rub and rinse solutions. Squirt a few drops of the solution and rub your lenses from both the sides to clean them. A contact lens daily cleaning solution may contain a mild abrasive such as a detergent and a surfactant to clean the buildup from over the lenses. The presence of surfactant makes sure that your contact lenses are not scratched whilst being cleaned. Some cleaning solutions also contain silica gel abrasive particles, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents.

Always use other disinfecting solutions along with daily cleaners for the disinfecting job.

Multi-Purpose Contact Lens Solutions:

Multi-purpose contact lens solutions are the easiest. They are no rub formula. They alone do the job of rinsing, cleaning, storing & disinfecting without having to put any extra effort of rubbing your contacts. They may contain preservatives to which some people may be irritated. With multipurpose contact lens solution, no other lens care products are necessary.

Hydrogen Peroxide:

Hydrogen peroxide solutions are a best match for sensitive eyes. They are free from preservatives. Solutions containing hydrogen peroxide should be used with caution. Disinfecting done by hydrogen peroxide is always accompanied by a neutralization process carried out in a special basket, equipped with a metallic disc.

Also Read: [Considerations with Hydrogen Peroxide]

If you are suffering from an eye infection or have overly sensitive eyes; it is advised to discuss with your doctors before choosing from the different types of solution for cleaning & disinfecting your contact lenses. 

Can I Wear Circle Lenses Straight from the Vials?

Circle lenses are required to be soaked in the soaking solution before the first wear. Circle contacts should not be worn right out of the vials as they come floating in isotonic sterile solution & needed to be oxidized before you insert them in eyes.

The isotonic solution is commonly known as saline solution. It is a composition of NaCl, Hydrogen per oxide, buffering agents & some preservatives. It is suggested by manufacturers that contacts should be soaked in the given solution for minimum of the 6 hours. Soaking them overnight makes the lenses soft, supple, moist & comfortable to wear.

Circle contacts do not necessarily need to be disinfected prior to first use. A simple rinse through sterile saline solution is enough. Contrarily, some people find stinging sensation when contact lenses are not soaked in the multi-purpose solution but in the same solution they came floating in. This happens as some of the preservatives in the isotonic solution may trigger allergic response. To neutralize the circle contacts, it is wise to soak & store them in the multi-purpose solution because it is safe to go in your eyes as well as to keep your lenses moist & comfortable.

After the first wear, you will be needing to disinfect your lenses after each wear. No rub solution or multi-purpose solution keeps your lenses free from protein & lipid debris. This way; every morning you get a clear & fresh pair of lenses that ensure crisp vision. 

How Long to Soak Contact Lenses Before the First Use & Why?

Contact lenses and circle lenses come; packed in vials or blisters containing an isotonic sterile solution. It is most commonly known as saline solution; made up of NaCl, Hydrogen per oxide, buffering agents & other bacteria killing chemicals. This isotonic solution is only meant to keep contact lenses sterile& soft till before the first use.

Saline Solution doesn’t Disinfect Contact Lenses

It is necessary to soak contact lenses for 6-8 hours in multi-purpose solution or in disinfectant before the first use. This is done to neutralize them before letting them come in contact with your eyes. The saline solution is normally used to rinse circle lenses. Remember it only rinse circle lenses and is not capable of disinfecting them.

The best habit is to soak your contact lenses in solution for over-night. This way they become soft whilst the solution replenishes and prepare contact lenses to get acquainted with human eyes overnight.

What if I wear Contact Lenses directly out of the Box?

As mentioned earlier; the isotonic solution in which contact lenses come in is not safe for your eyes. Wearing contact lenses directly after taking them out of the vials will burn your eyes, sting them leading to excess watery eyes.

Which disinfectant should I use to soak my Contact Lenses In?

There are several quality solutions available. We recommend ABBOT’s Complete Blink n clean multipurpose solution to soak, rinse, disinfect & store contact lenses.

Warning: Do not confuse multi-purpose solution with your eye drops. Multi-purpose solution is not a replacement of your eye drops.

Can I use Multi-Purpose Contact Lens Solution as Eye Drops?

If you are a regular wearer of circle lenses/ contact lenses; you might have thought at least once of using your regular multi-purpose disinfectant as the replacement of “re-wetting eye drops”. It may happen sometimes when you have your container of disinfectant filled but regretfully find your eye-drops bottle empty.

Though disinfectant should NEVER be directly squirted in eyes; people do use them as rewetting drops by risking the health & safety of their eyes. Actually multi-purpose circle lens/contact lens solutions or disinfectants contain harmful ingredients that are meant to kill germs only. The disinfectant also contains preservatives and strong chemicals that may not be harsh on your contact lens but may induce swelling & abrasions when poured directly into eyes.

There is an utmost need of understanding that contact lens solution/cleaner/disinfectant or multi-purpose solutions and “Re-wetting eye drops” are two different products and are used for two entirely different reasons. Therefore; both of the products should never be confused because they are not inter-changeable.

The main ingredients are concerning to contact lens/circle lens solution is “soaking”, “disinfecting”, “sterilizing” etc. On the other hand; “Re-wetting” or “Lubricating eye drops” only help relaxing your eyes when they are exhausted by over-wearing of circle lenses/ contact lenses. Lubricating drops also let eyes regain the moisturizer when your eyes feel dry due to working in A/C environment or by working long on LCDs. Avoid using over-the counter eye drops with circle lenses/contact lenses; because using inexpensive cheap eye drops may result in concentrated build-up of solution.

Eyes can tolerate only a small amount of disinfectant that get into eyes during inserting circle lenses/contact lenses. According to NBC News, “Misuse of clear contact lens solution is associated with eye burn”. Always; read the “Cautions/Warnings” printed on the label of any kind of solutions that come to use with circle lenses/ contact lenses to prevent your eyes from subjected damage!

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