Caring for your contact lenses properly is extremely important. Cleaning the lenses with appropriate solutions helps prevent infections, some of which could cause blindness, explains the All About Vision website. Some contact lens solutions are for a specific purpose, such as cleaning, disinfecting or storing, while you can use others for several different purposes. What kind of lenses you have will determine what kind of solution you need, so it is important to talk to your eye doctor before trying a new product.
Step 1
Talk to your eye doctor to determine if your contacts have any special requirements. Some contacts, especially ones that are not disposable, require a protein removal product in addition to cleanser, rinsing products and disinfectants.
Step 2
Look for products labeled “preservative-free” if your eyes are particularly sensitive or you have an allergy to chemicals in some contact lens solutions, advises All About Vision.
Step 3
Purchase a saline solution to rinse and store your contact lenses if you use a heat or UV disinfection system. You also need to use saline solutions with enzymatic cleaning tablets for certain disinfecting devices.
Step 4
Buy a daily cleaner or multipurpose solution to clean your lenses daily. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends gently rubbing your lenses with the cleaning solution for about 20 seconds, even if the solution is labeled as “no rub.”
Some multipurpose solutions can clean, rinse, disinfect and lubricate your lenses during storage so that you do not need a saline solution for rinsing and storing.
Step 5
Opt for a hydrogen peroxide solution if you are sensitive to the chemicals in multipurpose solutions. Hydrogen peroxide solutions can clean, rinse and disinfect your lenses. Never apply contacts to your eyes after rinsing with hydrogen peroxide until you have completed the disinfecting step.
Some contact lens holders have built-in neutralizers to remove harmful chemicals from the solution, while others require you to use a neutralizing tablet when disinfecting your lenses.
