Contact lens solution roundup

You can’t walk into a big-box store, drugstore, or even grocery store without seeing an aisle dedicated to contact lens solutions. Is it any wonder patients are often confused?

Reinforce your lens care recommendation by knowing what your patients will be seeing when they’re shopping for solutions.

Here are some of the most common types of solution and the most common brands within each type. Information was gathered from product and company websites.

Multipurpose solution

Multipurpose solution (MPS) is the most popular method of contact lens care in the U.S. and is used for cleaning, rinsing, disinfecting, and storing soft contact lenses. Patients use MPS to mechanically clean their lenses as they would with daily cleaner, then rinse (if directed) and disinfect, all with the same solution.

Alternatively, they can rinse the lenses twice, then place them in the clean lens case with solution to clean and disinfect. When they are ready to wear the lenses, they rinse again. With multipurpose solutions, no other lens care products are necessary.

Some MPS are indicated for “no-rub” care because they are designed to adequately clean and disinfect lenses with a simple rinse-and-store method, eliminating the need to mechanically rub the lenses to remove lens deposits.

However, patients may not properly follow rinsing instructions; the required rinse may last as long as 30 seconds. Some companies are moving away from the no-rub indication for this reason.

BioTrue (Bausch + Lomb)

• Up to 20 hours of moisture using hyaluronan, a lubricant found throughout the body

• Dual disinfection system

• Protein management

• Same pH as healthy tears to enhance performance of dual disinfectants

• Tear proteins that are kept in their native state, active as they are naturally in the eye, carrying out antimicrobial activities on their own

• Carton and bottle are 100 percent recyclable

renu fresh (Bausch + Lomb)

• Stand-alone testing efficacy against Acanthamoeba

• Efficacy against broad spectrum of clinical isolates, including MRSA

• Poloxamine to provide sustained wettability and conditioning of lens surface

• Unique ingredient Hydranate effectively cleans and removes protein deposits

renu sensitive (Bausch + Lomb)

• Formulated to work with the eyes’ natural tears

• Carton and bottle are 100 percent recyclable

RevitaLens OcuTec (Abbott Medical Optics)

• Peroxide-quality, broad-spectrum disinfection protects patients from emerging pathogens

• Superior disinfection against Acanthamoeba

• Protection from lens case contamination for non-compliant patients

• Low incidence of corneal infiltrates, corneal staining, and adverse events

• Protein removal, lens cleaning, lens condition for increased patient comfort (more than 16 hours per day)

• Designed for silicone hydrogel and all other soft contact lenses

Complete Easy Rub (Abbott Medical Optics)

• Disinfection promoted by removing and killing a broad range of bacteria and microorganisms on lenses to help protect against infection

• Protein and debris removal

• Contains Poloxamer 237, an effective cleaner that is also gentle on the eyes

• Four beneficial electrolytes

Opti-Free Express (Alcon)

• Dual disinfectants Polyquad and Aldox remove microorganisms that can cause eye infections

• Approved for all soft contact lenses

Opti-Free Replenish (Alcon)

• Dual disinfectants Polyquad and Aldox remove microorganisms that can cause eye infections

• TearGlyde reconditioning system works with tears to create a moisture shield

• Debris and particle removal keeps contact lenses clean

Opti-Free Puremoist (Alcon)

• Dual disinfectants Polyquad and Aldox remove microorganisms that can cause eye infections

• HydraGlyde Moisture Matrix surrounds lenses in moisture cushion and creates barrier that reduces deposits and debris

Hydrogen peroxide care systems

Hydrogen peroxide lens care systems can be used to clean, disinfect, and store both soft and gas permeable (GP) contact lenses. Patients place their lenses in the provided basket and rinse them, then place the basket in its cup and fill the cup with hydrogen peroxide solution to clean and disinfect.

Some lens holders for hydrogen peroxide systems have a built-in neutralizer to convert the hydrogen peroxide to saline, but others require patients to add a neutralizing tablet. After the disinfection and neutralizing step is completed, patients are able to safely wear the lenses. They should never rinse their lenses with hydrogen peroxide solution or apply them directly to the eyes without completing the entire disinfecting and neutralizing step. Doing so can cause a painful chemical burn.

Hydrogen peroxide systems may help wearers who are sensitive to preservatives used in multipurpose solutions. However, many eyecare professionals are prescribing hydrogen peroxide care systems as a first choice for cleaning.

PeroxiClear (Bausch + Lomb)

• Triple-Moist Technology, a combination of 3 moisturizing ingredients that attract, spread, and retain moisture on lens surfaces

• Up to 20 hours of moisture

• Peroxide neutralized with lenses ready to wear in only four hours

• Can be used for soft, silicone hydrogel, and gas permeable lenses

Clear Care (Alcon)

• Uses effervescent properties of hydrogen peroxide to clean and disinfect lenses

• Triple Action Cleaning power avoids harsh preservatives found in many multi-purpose solutions

Clear Care Plus (Alcon)

• Uses effervescent properties of hydrogen peroxide to clean and disinfect lenses

• After cleaning and disinfecting, neutralizes into a saline solution much like natural tears

• Doesn’t use preservatives and chemicals found in other solutions

• Surrounds lenses with long-lasting moisture due to HydraGlyde

Gas permeable lens care

In the past, GP lenses often were rinsed with tap water after cleaning. Eyecare professionals now recommend against this practice, however, because microorganisms in tap water can cause eye infections, including Acanthamoeba keratitis. In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that no type of water (other than that contained in approved contact lens solutions) come in contact with contact lenses. Rinse gas permeable contacts done only with multi-purpose solution or sterile saline.

Lens care systems for GP lenses are similar to those for soft lenses, and usually consist of either the combined use of separate cleaning and disinfecting/storage solutions or the use of a single multi-purpose solution for cleaning, disinfecting and storage.

Boston Advance Cleaner and Conditioning Solution (Bausch + Lomb)

• Two-bottle system

• Cleaner removes debris and deposits from GP lenses, leaving lenses clean, clear, and ready for disinfection and conditioning

• Cleaner is visibly tinted for faster rising. The red tip on the cleaner bottle indicates that the cleaner is not to be put in the eye

• Conditioning Solution dual disinfecting system delivers protection against harmful microorganisms and includes patented cushioning system to soothe eyes

Unique pH (Menicon)

• Multi-purpose solution

• Simple soaking mechanism removes dirt, protein deposits, and debris with no separate daily cleaner required

• Lens conditioning occurs via adjusting to eye’s natural tear pH to enhance wettability and comfort of GP contact lenses on application and during lens wear

• Lens disinfection uses antimicrobial agents which destroy harmful microorganisms commonly found on the surfaces of lenses

• May also be used to dilute a daily protein remover for simultaneous enzymatic cleaning during conditioning

Optimum (Lobob)

• Sterile cleaning, disinfecting, and storing solution for use with fluorosilicone acrylate and silicone acrylate gas permeable (GP) and hard contact lenses

• Prevents warpage of lens and adherence of contaminants to lens surface

• Not for use directly in eye

• Not for use with soft (hydrophilic) lenses

Hybrid contact lens care

The standard of care for hybrid contact lenses recommends using a daily cleaner approved for both soft and GP lenses. This can be either a multi-purpose solution or a hydrogen peroxide solution. Note that in some patients, their tear chemistry may react with the hydrogen peroxide to cause a permanent white ring at the junction of the rigid center and soft skirt. This ring does not affect vision or comfort.

If needed, instruct your patients to use rewetting drops approved for both soft and gas permeable lenses. Based on patients’ individual needs, you may recommend additional products or procedures. 

Saline solution

Saline solution is for rinsing and storing contact lenses only when patients are using a heat or UV disinfection system. Patients also may use saline with enzymatic cleaning tablets or devices which both clean and disinfect. Be sure your patients are aware that they should never use a saline product for cleaning and disinfection.

Sensitive Eyes Saline Solution (Bausch + Lomb)

• pH-balanced formula containing potassium, found in natural tears

• For use in rinsing after daily cleaning and before insertion

• Safe for rinsing before or after heat, chemical, or hydrogen peroxide disinfection

• Can also be used for diluting enzymatic cleaning tablets and storing soft contact lenses after thermal disinfection

PuriLens Plus (LifeStyle Company, Inc.)

• Preservative-free saline solution in combination with special cleaning chamber that uses UV light to kill germs and bacteria

• Saline solution component similar to Unisol 4 in chemical component and could be safely used to rinse or fill lenses

• Purilens Plus Ultra PF sterile saline available separately from rest of cleaning system 

Clear Care Rinse & Go (Alcon)

• Launched in spring 2016 as replacement for Unisol

• Made specifically for contact lens wearers using peroxide care systems