Question
Dr. Ken: Greetings. I have been using the opti-free family brand for my contacts for a really long time. Recently, my eye doctor switched me to new brands of contacts. They advised me to use opti-free as normal, and then use this solution called Clean Clear once a week, while soaking it for at least 6 hours. They said to use saline to wash it out if necessary. What does saline exactly do? Even if saline is used, wouldn't that still be considered "mixing solutions"? In your experience, is that even healthy for the eye?
Answer
Dear Kenny:
You didn't specify why your doctor switched your solutions. Was it because your eyes weren't tolerating it, eyes getting irritated or red, or were your lenses becoming very dirty with significant muco-protein deposits?? Saline solution is prescribed often as a rinsing agent primarily to rid the contact lens of any buildup, debris, and preservatives. I prefer a non-preservative saline solution so as to not introduce more chemicals which can be toxic to the delicate eye tissues. Hope this helps
Dr. Ken
