Contact Lenses Care

Premixed Preserved Saline Solution. These contain just the right proportion of salt, plus preservatives (such as thimerosol, chlorhexidine, or sorbic acid) to ensure that the solution stays sterile, plus buffers so the pH (acid balance) more closely resembles that of human tears. All well and good, except these solutions cost more than homemade saline, and some users become allergic (eyes become red or itchy) to the preservatives. When this form of saline was the only one available, many members of the captive audience protested—and rightly so—that this “cure” was worse than the “disease” it sought to cure. (Especially since the preserved solutions merely reduce the chance of eye infection, but don’t eliminate it completely.) Read the rest of this entry »

Hygiene is of the utmost importance when handling and maintaining contact lenses, especially soft contacts. Both cleaning and disinfecting must be done every time you remove your lenses. Cleaning removes surface deposits and is performed with a surfactant cleaning solution. Disinfection kills microorganisms and is accomplished either with heat and a saline solution or with a chemical (cold) disinfecting solution. A third process utilizes enzymes to remove stubborn protein deposits and is usually needed once a week. Saline solution is used to remove the other solutions from the lenses. Finally, although soft lenses are quite comfortable, some wearers may occasionally find a lubricating solution or drops helpful. (The use of these individual solutions is explained below.) Read the rest of this entry »