If you are wearing bi-weekly or monthly replaceable contact lenses you are most likely already familiar with a rigid cleaning routine. And you are most likely using one of the popular contact lens cleaning solutions that are available in the market. Most lens manufacturers recommend certain lens care solutions that you should apply to their lenses to get optimal results for your eyes. It is also important to note, that different lens care solutions cannot always be used together, and depending on the lens and its material certain solutions are safe to use while other solutions are not. There are many precautions and instructions for how to handle your lenses and how to keep them clean and safe. Always read the label instructions and consult with your eye doctor before using any of these products.
What are lens care solutions for?
Lens care solutions are crucial in the lens care process as they take on many critical tasks:
- Cleaning:
Your contact lenses will pick up tiny particles as you wear them. This can include particles transferred through the air or protein-based particles and other debris from your eyes. It is important to get rid of these particles so your lenses stay clean, fresh and harmless to your eyes. With the right cleaning solution, you can get the same consistent, high-quality vision from day one until the end of the replacement cycle. - Disinfecting:
Your lenses will accumulate germs and bacteria on the inside of the lenses, on the outer surface and the edges. Disinfecting your lenses is crucial for your eyes to reduce the risk of eye infections and serious eye diseases. - Rinsing:
After your lenses are cleaned and disinfected, they need to be rinsed before putting them back into your eyes or a storage container. Rinsing will make sure that those tiny particles that got loosened up during the cleaning stage, get rinsed off your lenses and cannot find their way into your eyes. - Conditioning and Storing:
Lens care fluids are used to store your lenses overnight or longer. They will make sure your contacts are kept moist, clean and disinfected while you are not wearing them.
While the above steps all apply to a good lens care regimen, we should also mention lubricating and rewetting solutions. These are special drops that help to lubricate your eyes and lenses during the day. Wearing contacts throughout the day can result in your eyes feeling dry and uncomfortable. Rewetting drops help soothe your eyes and you can apply them while wearing your lenses.
The best lens care solutions in 2023
Multi-Purpose Solutions
- Alcon - OPTI-FREE PureMoist
- Alcon - OPTI-FREE RepleniSH
- CooperVision - Lite
- Bausch + Lomb - Biotrue Multi-Purpose Solution
- Johnson & Johnson Vision - ACUVUE RevitaLens
- Johnson & Johnson Vision - COMPLETE MPS
- Bausch + Lomb - Renu
Hydrogen Peroxide Solutions
- Alcon - ClearCare
- Bausch + Lomb - EasySept
- CooperVision - Refine One Step
- Johnson & Johnson Vision - Oxysept
- Johnson & Johnson Vision - Ultrazyme
Rinsing Solutions and Salines
- Purilens