Contact Lenses Care

Soft Contact Lens Enzyme Tablets Cleaning

Cleaning with a surfactant cleansing solution and disinfecting may not remove all the deposits that cling stubbornly to the lens surface. To remove these deposits a special enzyme solution is used; this “digests” and dissolves lens proteins much the same way the enzymes in your body help break down protein.

You should use the enzyme cleaner once a week to help prevent buildup of protein deposits. (To help you remember, perform this procedure on the same day every week—the first or the last day, or every Wednesday, etc.) Once deposits are established, they will increase and can pit the lens surface, leaving it damaged even after it’s purged of the accumulations. Enzyming is especially important for those who tend to produce tears heavily laden with protein. Factors such as air pollution, makeup, and eye irritation increase production of this protein. 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 »