Question
Hi Dr. Johnston, I was wondering if you can advise me on how to use clear care eye solution. My eye doctor briefly explained it to me, and I don't have the best memory in the world so I forgot what he actually said about proclear. I'm using optifree replensih solution which I know is pretty popular and a lot of people I know uses that brand. However, my optometrist also said to use proclear once a week. He said use optifree like normal, and then once a week, put the contact lenses after wear into the little case they provide for clear care only. Then pour the solution in and make sure to set it for at least 6 hours. After 6 hours, I can then put it back in my eye. Well is that accurate or is my memory serving me inaccurately? Would I need something like saline to kind of clean off before transferring from optifree replenish to clear care? Please do give me the right instructions because I don't want to damage my eye now. Thank you so much for your time. It's totally appreciated!
Sincerely,
Kris
Answer
I am having a small amount of confusion regarding your use of the word proclear. did you mean to say Clear Care here? (Proclear is a brand of contact lens, and has nothing to do with the solutions)
Assuming you did mean to say Clear Care every place you wrote "proclear" here is my response: Most people use either the Optifree system OR the Clear Care solution exclusively. Your doctor must have had a reason why s/he told you to use both. the proper way to use Clear Care is just about what you already wrote. You put the lenses in the container that comes with the Clear Care solution (and you must change to a new container every time you start a new bottle of Clear Care) hold the top part of the container with the lenses in it over the sink and rinse thoroughly with the Clear Care solution. Then you fill the bottom part of the container up to the line with the Clear Care solution, close the case and let sit overnight - or a minimum of six hours. In the morning, you do indeed merely take the lenses out of the case and insert into your eye. You can find this information right on the Clear Care website: http://www.clearcaresolution.com/
Now, as for the need to rinse the Optifree off the contact lenses before using Clear Care, I do not have a specific answer because I have never recommended a patient switch back and forth as your doctor did. However, I do not see any reason why you would have to rinse off the Optifree. If the lenses have been in your eye all day before you use the Clear Care, there would be very little Optifree solution left on them AND the Clear Care is a peroxide product. Peroxide pulls particles out of things, and should not interact with the remaining Optifree, Again, I cannot answer this for certain as I have never recommended this procedure. To be certain, you could call your eye doctor back - or here is a contact form for Ciba Vision, manufacturer of the Clear Care product: http://www.us.cibavision.com/contact_us.shtml You may be able to get more specific advice about the need to rinse off the Optifree before using Clear Care from them.
