I'm looking for something to splash in my eyes before removing my RGP lenses at night. I don't want any fancy ingredients, just to make sure they are "unstuck" since they tend to be a little dry at the end of the day. I thought some kind of soft contact solution might work, but they all seem to have extra ingredients that I don't understand. Can one of the docs recommend a product that would work for this purpose and not harm my contacts? Thanks. --
I'm not an eyecare professional, but would heartily recommend using PRESERVATIVE-FREE saline solution, kept in the refrigerator. I wear scleral lenses (RGP material) and FLOOD them (20+ drops per side) before removal for just this reason. No reason to use the preserved kind. Just keep the PF kind in the fridge. Neil
Any soft lens saline will do. Or you could use any rigid or soft contact lens lubricating or rewetting drop, labelled for use in eye with lenses in. Ask your lens fitter, they will likely have sample size bottles for you to try out. The "extra" ingredients might be the lubricants, disinfecting agents and cleaners found in soft lens storage or multi purpose solutions; look for solutions labelled for rinsing only or labelled as soft lens saline. Neil suggests using unpreserved saline store in fridge, I would not recommend this. First, I don't think you can find it. Second, any such saline you do find will be intended to use with heat disinfection and may not be safe to use in the eye straight out of the bottle. Dr Judy
Love ya, Doc, but you're just not right here ... on either count. It's available at most drugstores (I buy it quite frequently in many parts of the country) and is used, for example, IN (filling) scleral lenses that have been extensively tested and FDA approved w/zero ill consequences. Neil
In a multiuse bottle with no preservatives at all? What is the brand name, we don't have it in Canada; the only unpreserved solutions up here are packed in unit dose containers and expensive. Or in spray cans. Do you mean Unisol 4? It is clearly labelled for use with heat disinfection only: http://www.drugstore.com/qxp12275_332828_sespider/unisol_4/preservative_free_saline_solution.htm Dr Judy
Unisol is one brand. Some drug stores (eg CVS here) carry their own generic brand. Easily found down here. http://tinyurl.com/23n4b3 Quoting... [emphasis added] * Preservative -Free * No Nozzles or propellants * Same pH as natural tears for superior comfort * Easy to squeeze bottles * Especially for Sensitive Eyes *** For rinsing after cleaning AND for heat disinfection of soft (hydrophilic) contact lenses. * Discard bottle and contents 30 days after opening. This stuff's fine. Why put all the rest of the junk in your eyes for the OP's purposes?
