There are a wide range of contact lens solutions available on the market today and the solution that your eye care professional recommends usually has been chosen due to the type and material of the contact lens being worn.   However you might like to know what to expect from your contact lens solution to be able to discuss this with your eye care practitioner, so here are a few points that you should expect your solution to deliver on ;

1.       The solution needs to effectively kill and stop the growth of microorganisms that can adhere to the contact lens material and have the potential to cause eye infections.

2.       The solution needs to be able to reduce protein and other lens deposits that build up on the contact lens material, obscuring vision and making them uncomfortable to wear.

3.       The solution needs be compatible with the contact lens material and needs to feel comfortable when you insert the contact lenses into your eyes after they have been stored in the solution.  If your eyes burn when you insert your contact lenses after overnight storage in solution, it may be due to sensitivity you have to an ingredient or preservative in the solution, so this is certainly a point to discuss with your practitioner if you are experiencing this.

4.        The solution needs to have the ability to condition the contact lens during overnight storage, ie rewetting the surface to ensure comfort during wear.

5.       The solution needs to be easy to use, inexpensive and readily available at retail stores.

6.       It needs to be able to be stored at room temperature so you can easily travel with it, and have it ready to use in the bathroom. It needs to have a long expiry date.

Many contact lens solutions promote the “no rub“ formula.  These types of solutions were developed to try and make the cleaning routine for contact lens wearers easier.  However, gently rubbing your contact lens with your finger in the palm of your hand on both sides, with a couple of drops of contact lens solution is the best method.  This gentle action of rubbing the contact lens prior to inserting them into your storage case at night helps to loosen and remove lens deposits and some microorganisms that have adhered to the contact lens surface during wear. 

If the required clean routine of two weekly and monthly lenses is all too much hassle, or you have a teenager who is unreliable with their cleaning routine then daily disposable contact lenses  might be a better option .  Daily Disposable contact lenses are available in an ever growing prescriptive range and include lenses for astigmatism and multifocal designs.  Daily disposable contact lenses are wrapped individually in a prepacked vial filled with contact lens solution; you open the vial when you’re ready to wear the lenses, insert a sterile lens and throw them away at the end of the day – no rinse, no rub, no storage, and no contact lens solution!