How do you clean your contact lenses?

C

cool_dude

Disciple
Since B & L has stopped manufacturing those lens cleaning tablets :mad:, I have been unable to clean my Optima 38 annual replacement lenses. I had to abandon the lenses (one was just 4 months old :() because they started giving me trouble and I couldn't wear them anymore. The lens gives me a pricking/burning sensation when I wear it :mad: (may be due to protein deposits?) I bought a Hydrogen peroxide kit to clean the lenses but that didn't work either. Now I am back to glasses and since my number is quite high, it just sucks. I wrote to B & L about this problem but got no response. :no:

So, how do you clean your contact lenses now? If you are facing the same problem can you send an email to B & L requesting them to start production of those tablets again?

Abhi.
 
What lens cleaning tablets are these ? Havent come across it before so do you mind sharing the details on them ?
 
bottle said:
What lens cleaning tablets are these ? Havent come across it before so do you mind sharing the details on them ?
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Yeah, please do explain.

I've been using B&L's Renu Multiplus CL lens solution for 2yrs now.

Cleaning is quite simple & straightforward.

I clean them before I wear them and after I remove them.
 
bausch & lomb has stopped manufacturing protein removal tablets as the ReNu solution is supposed to have the same properties.

You can use AOSept if you can find it. It is an hydrogen peroxide cleaning system, very effective. Make sure you follow the instructions though, if you put the solution directly in your eyes it will burn for days.
 
amigoatul said:
Better go for monthly/weekly/daily disposable contact lenses from B&L. I use monthly disposable ones and they are very comfortable.
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Doesn't really matter.I wear annual replacement soft lenses and they are as comfortable as monthly or daily disposable lenses.

It all comes down to how one take care of the lenses.
 
Just clean with the solution thats it...

ALl this tablet stuff i money minting stuff....

Also the monthly disposable lens which i use......are pricey than the old ones....i pay 1400 for 6 months lens...johnson and johnson one...earlier for 1200 or 1500......used to get those yearly lenses......

But becoz of travelling sometime or other the lens gets damaged by me or some external particle so shifted to monthly disposable one.....

Btw i have stop using rebnu solution as after using it used to caused burning sensation to me..shifted to aquasoft...cheaper and better......

Btw its always better u clean your eyes with little cold water when u not wearing lenses....but if u have excessive protein problem..than though carefully still try to clean your eyes with water...which i do
 
@OP-As the other member suggested,Aosept is the only other viable option if you don't find protein removal tablets.

But be careful with AOSept since it is Hydrogen Peroxide based solution it will definitely cause tissue damage if used incorrectly. Better visit your nearest Ophthal or Optom for protein removal from your contacts once in 2 months if possible.
 
thetoxicmind said:
Doesn't really matter.I wear annual replacement soft lenses and they are as comfortable as monthly or daily disposable lenses.

It all comes down to how one take care of the lenses.
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:no:
no no.. they're not the same.

i've been using contact lenses for over 5 years now and earlier i used the yearly replacement ones ... they used to scuk after sometime with all the protein deposits n stuff..

whatever i tried to clean them, nothing happened.

then this year i switched over to the monthly disposable lenses. they're damn good as they only need to be used for a month.. i sometime even sleep wearing them and nothing happens the next morning..they're just a fresh as they were earlier...
i suggest you try to use those monthly disposable ones if you're having a hard time with all protein deposits...
 
MAGNeT said:
Just clean with the solution thats it...

ALl this tablet stuff i money minting stuff....
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Hmm, i don't know about that. Those tablets are for protein removal AFAIK.

Now it might be with the fluids used now that they are unnecessary but thats something i'm not prepared to try. I've used those tablets at least once every few months.

I'll have to check and see if they are no longer available as bought some months back. This is the B&L Renu solution. Freinds told me they found the lenses uncomfortable and preferred another brand like opti-something instead, but i've used B&L for 10+ yrs now without issues.

I don't use disposables as they work out 1.5 to 2x the cost of non-disposables. They are mostly for ppl that wear makeup. I would call these lenses more money minting than protein removal tablets :)
 
earlier there used to be tablets to clean protein deposits.

now a days new solutions have enzyme cleaners within them so no tablets are needed.

take any good solution and you are good to go.
 
Well, thanks a lot guys. To make things clear, the annual replacement contact lenses are to be put in the Renu solution everyday and the lenses should be cleaned using protein removal tablets each month to get rid of those protein deposits. This problem is not there for monthly disposable lenses because you discard them after one month of use. Now, I went for annual replacement lenses because a pair of them costs 1800 only, while a year's supply of monthly replacement lenses costs about 3380. That's a lot of money! :(

Medpal - is this new solution different from Renu? Will this solution replace Renu or it's like we keep the lenses in Renu on the day to day basis and use this solution once a month to clean the lenses?

Mebaali/contactram - how to use this AOSept kit? I put the lenses in that kit, pour their solution and then remove them after 6 hours, is this correct?

Magnet - where do you get them for 1400? Here, 6 months' supply costs 1690(MRP).

thetoxicmind - You mean you just put your annual replacement lenses in the solution and that's it? You don't clean them once a month? What about protein deposits then?

And one more thing, does anyone know about a shop in Pune where I can get some discount on contact lenses?

Abhi.
 
@red_devil

Like i said before, if you take care of your lenses by cleaning & handling it well, it won't cause any problems.Simple.

@cool_dude

Here's what I do:

Take my lens out of the case (solution) in the morning ,rinse them and wear them.

At night,I remove them, rinse them yet again and put it back in the case (solution).

The solution in the case is replaced every 2-3 days.

Now this is the cycle followed throughout the year.

Of course, if your just gonna dump your lenses in the case after wearing it for the day (no cleaning), you'll need to replace the solution in the case everyday.

If you clean your lenses well, you won't really have protein formation and won't need to use the protein removal tablets every month.

As far as prices go, I get my B&L Annual replacement SOFT lenses for 1.6K (MRP 1.8K) and the Renu Multiplus solution (120ml) for 140 bucks (MRP 145).
 
protein deposits vary with your tear composition. some may have excessive protein deposits and some may have no deposits with the same type of lens.
 
@Cool_dude: I used to be a C/L wearer. The protein removal tablet used to be the norm a few years back, but not now. The B&L ALL-in-ONE has the same properties. I used non-disposable lenses only. They used to last 18- 20 months for me (Daily use with 8 - 9 hours per day). Wash them once-twice before u soak them in the solution and do the same before u wear. A doctor also suggested using saline water if u have an itching sensation when the lens is used immediately after washing with the B&L solution.
 
blr_p said:
annual wear ?

you should get at least 2-3 years with the non-disposables assuming daily wear.
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Sorry blr_p...no offense... but are you crazy :O

If you wear a lens that long the material has already started to break down and no matter how well you clean them you will still continue to build up protein and calcium deposits.

As the protein and calcium build up on the lenses, the oxygen flow is slowly restricted more and more and the eye will become starved for oxygen...... Then the veins in your eye will start to swell to compensate to try to attain more oxygen causing large visible veins in the eye that will NEVER NEVER EVER go away.

Take it from someone that has been an ABO (American Board of Opticians) and a California State Certified Optician for over 25 years.

NEVER EVER EVER EVER keep a pair of contacts that long, the expense of another pair of lenses is far less than the trouble you can get your self into by overwearing, abusing or otherwise not taking proper care of your contact lenses.

As to the question earlier.... disposable lenses are far more hygienic and are always going to be healthier for your eye than a yearly lens.... NO EXCEPTIONS.

If you are having comfort or dry eye problems try one of the newer silicon Hydrogel materials, many companies are using them now.

Hydrogen Peroxide based cleaners use a Patinum disk to neutralize the Hydrogen Peroxide and when the process is finished (you usually need to leave them in this solution for a minimum of 6 hours... but check the instructions as this may vary slightly between brands) you are left with a non-preserved saline solution... one of the best and cleanest solutions you can put into your eye.

If there are any serious questions pm me.. it may take a few days for a reasponse as I have been extremely busy and unable to visit TE as much as I used to.

PP
 
Dude I'm been wearing lenses for nearly 20 yrs now, a good amt of that in front of a crt too i might add, no big veins or anything :)

That's my experience so far. Optometrist does not find any problems with my eyes.

I use protein remover on the lenses (every cpl of months) as i said before, inspite of what the bottle says and have done so from day one. So the question of build up is moot. They do have a tendency to push disposables in the US more than in the UK.

I've averaged 2+ yrs per pair of lenses they become uncomfortable after that.

yeah, but with now no tablets around i guess thats going to come down now huh ?
 
blr_p said:
Dude I'm been wearing lenses for nearly 20 yrs now, a good amt of that in front of a crt too i might add, no big veins or anything :)

That's my experience so far. Optometrist does not find any problems with my eyes.

I use protein remover on the lenses (every cpl of months) as i said before, inspite of what the bottle says and have done so from day one. So the question of build up is moot. They do have a tendency to push disposables in the US more than in the UK.

I've averaged 2+ yrs per pair of lenses they become uncomfortable after that.

yeah, but with now no tablets around i guess thats going to come down now huh ?
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I really like you, so I hope you don't take offense to my disagreement of this subject....because as a professional I feel very strongly about this.

You are certainly the exception to the rule, if you could only have seen some of the things that I have seen, you would agree with me. It is really scary what some people do to their eyes through contact lens abuse.

I mean how much does a pair of contacts cost that you would risk the potential problems that can occur rather than replacing them more frequently? I know that people are on budgets and sometimes these purchases can be expensive... but no matter how you slice an dice it, it is not worth it...... just spend the extra money and keep your eyes healthy.

Having worn contacts for 50 years does not come close to the type of experience I have had working in this field as a professional for over 25 yrs.

There is no question that replacing your lenses more frequently is healthier and less likely to cause problems. I have seen other people that have worn lenses for as long as you with no problems... but it only takes once to get a horrible eye infection due to old lenses, whereby the material has started breaking down. Lenses are just not designed to be kept that long or you would be able to purchase ones that are.

Please, please listen to me you guys, I really know what I am talking about and no matter what you may think, conventional lenses are not supposed to be worn that long. The fact that you have not yet had problems just means that you are damn lucky and it's a good thing you take care of them as well as you do.

If I could put everyone into daily disposables I would, they are the safest and least likely to cause problems. That said, monthly disposables are pretty good too, even quarterly disposables are better.
 
if you could only have seen some of the things that I have seen, you would agree with me. It is really scary what some people do to their eyes through contact lens abuse.
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Yes, but how much of this is due to poor maintenance rather than overuse and how are you able to distinguish between the two ?

If its the former then yes especially with kids disposables are defnitely a safer option.

One thing i've always done at the end of the day is cleaned my lenses out religously even when i was drunk :)

From what you have said it seems non-disposables should be removed off the shelves right now. They are a risk to public health.

I still remember the words of an orthodox optometrist nearly 15+ years ago.

"there's no such thing as an all-in-one"

Those were also the days you used a soapy solution to clean with and after rinse out with lens fluid. But B&L multipurpose had been on the shelves at least a cpl of years prior.
 
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