contact lens solution?

[daekini]

Is there any alternative to the stuff? I hadn't even thought about it, since I've been using it all my life. I looked at the ingredients and was like

I'm going to at least switch to just plain saline water, I wear contacts that get tossed every couple of weeks, so why should I use an 'enzyme cleaner'? I remember, before they made the stuff that had enzyme cleaner in it, I just used saline and every few weeks I'd drop this little enzyme pill into the sol'n.

anyway... thoughts? With the recalls (we think I had the fungus from the recall last year!) I've started thinking, finally.

Maybe this has already been discussed - my search produced all kinds of interesting hits here but nothing about contact lens sol'n on the first few pages of the search results...

[lilylove]

I use Clear Conscience Multi-Purpose Solution. I can't pronounce all the ingredients, but it's chlorhexidine ( I don't actually know what that is ) and Thimerosal free!

[daekini]

where do you get that?

[lilylove]

Oh, sorry, I get it Whole Foods

[jocelyndale]

I use two-week disposables and have no need for cleaning or enzyme solutions. I use saline for sensitive eyes (thim-free) or preservative-free saline ampules. You can also buy preservative-free saline in pressurized canisters, but I don't know what kinds of propellants are used.

[lindberg99]

I use Clear Care. It has hydrogen peroxide in it. You use a special case with a catalyst in it that breaks down the hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water. My optometrist recommended it to me because I was having trouble wearing my contacts very long. It also breaks down protein.

As for ingredients, Skin Deep has a eye care section that shows the ingredients in some brands and whether they are safe or not. http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep2/

[wytchywoman]

I use Aoesept. That also is the hyrdrogen peroxide system. Make sure you get the special case with the platinum wheel if you go this route. you can not use this solution without the special case, you'll burn your eyes.

Namaste,

Michelle

[EnviroBecca]

Are you worried about the environmental impact or the possibility of harmful chemicals?

I don't know about the chemicals. But if you're worried about the environment, disposable contacts are having more of an impact than anything you put on them.

[daekini]

I can't wear long-term contacts because my eyes are intolerant of them for some reason. I tried wearing glasses for the past several months but I have this problem -- my 18 month old can't stand them - or rather, he loves them - and I can't keep them on my face and him in my arms at the same time. As it is, I make my contacts last as long as possible. The one thing that bothers me is all the packaging those things come in!!!

So, I guess this is going to have to be one thing I screw up in my efforts to be environmentally conscious. I'm a conservation biologist.

Basically I'm looking to avoid harmful chemicals.