how do you clean your gas permeables?

[nitsparty]

had gas permeables for 20 years + now and always washed them with cooled boiled water and lens soap, then wetting solution then in. the new optician is horrified-it must be bottled saline solution. costing me a fortune as I'm used to using loads and my lenses feel gritty if I don't. is there really something nasty in boiled tap water? are they just in cahoots with saline providers? Gas permeable wearers are rare now, i know, but what do you do?

Not exactly Gas Permeables (although I did used to wear them) but I wear Ortho K overnight which are effectively the same thing.

The guidance did change at somepoint in the period I was wearing softs as when I got OrthoK the optician was horrified when I said 'and then I just run them under the tap after the cleaning solution yes?' . I use Ote clean then a quick squirt of Biotrue to rinse and then soak in Biotrue. I use saline to clean the lens case or sometimes to rinse after the Ote clean (generally I just pop them straight in after they've soaked so they're very wet with Biotrue and just add a couple of drops extra on the lens if I need it). I buy Biotrue and saline in bulk from Costco or if I've not been for a while from Vision Direct online.

They also changed the guidance about replacing lens cases as well - Biotrue give you a new case with each bottle so I swap the new one in whenever I start a new bottle.

I think the guidance all changed because there are a bunch of nasty things in tap water that were causing eye infections one is a parasite that can pretty much bugger your vision permanently within a week I believe. I figured that even though I'd done it for years this was one of those areas where I didn't fancy taking chances.

My husband has worn GP for almost 30 year - he loves them. Cleans them with proprietory cleaner then they soak overnight in a 'soaking solution'. He then uses saline in the morning to clean off the soaking solution and to mositen lens before putting in his eyes.

He is fastidious about this routine and has never had a problem - he was also told off about cleaning the lens case in boiling water.

As you can see, he cleans his lenses much better than I proof read

I'm afraid I just use a daily cleaner to rub them then rinse with tap water. Have done for 33 years...

I use a protein remover soak once every few months. Wash the case in tap water too.

I wore them for 20 years from about 1984. The guidance was always no tap water and let the case dry out every day. I used to use Boston Lens solutions, my optician said they were the best on the market.

I've worn gas permeable for around 35 years - I use a combined wetting/storing solution and give them a quick rinse under the tap to clean them in the morning. In not beyond wetting them with spit if I need to put them back in during the day. My horrified optician told me it would actually be more hygienic to use my urine as it least it's sterile (I told him on balance I'd stick with my method)

Never had a moment trouble with them - though I do acknowledge I may just be very lucky

I used tap water for many years - only stopped when the optician caught me at it when I had to remove my lenses during an eye test - he had a fit! But I had no idea the rules had changed.

I now use saline to rinse off the cleaner, but I can't see why boiled water would be a problem - surely any bugs would be killed off?

I rub them under the tap with Boots or B&L cleaning solution ( I think they have the same ingredients ) then store them overnight in the conditioning solution. In the morning I take them straight out of the conditioning solution , with clean dry hands, and put them into my eyes.
My theory is that the conditioning solution should combat any tap-water-borne bugs.

Btw, when I first wore contact lenses in the 60s, the practitioner didn't mention any solutions at all- he recommended spit. It didn't work very well, oddly.

The bugs are killed off in boiled water, but it is extremely easy for it to pick more bugs up again in it as there are no anti-microbial ingredients in it. So, if you are using it straight from the kettle after cooling it's probably fairly safe, but if you are pouring it into another container or storing it for any length of time it can pick bugs up again as soon as it is cool enough. These can be from the atmosphere, the container, or your hands.

Sterile saline is better but again usually contains no anti-microbial agents so can become contaminated, it offers more protection because it comes in a clean, disposable bottle from the factory and only has a tiny nozzle hole. Purpose made solutions contain anti-microbial as well as cleaning agents and are best of all.

Plastic containers such as bottles and contact lens cases can form invisible biofilms of bacterial growth on their surfaces which are very resistant to removal so it is best to scrub them out, let them dry and replace regularly, you should always let your case dry out between uses.

Afternoon, WhoKnows ! Perhaps I'd better change my ways.
My eyes are so weird now ( not bacteria-related ) that I'm wondering if it's time to give up on contacts anyway. But I can't quite bear to.

Hi Footle . I saw you on another thread about eyes a while ago, sorry you're having problems. I switched from GP to soft extended wear lenses about 10 years ago and hate the thought of ever giving up wearing them, they are amazing.

I'll investigate those , thank you. When I tried soft ones a few years ago I couldn't get the hang of taking them out, and had to be driven several miles back to the optician first thing in the morning.
Right now I have reading glasses and distance glasses ( for driving and tv ) and sunglasses , all to wear over lenses, and varifocal specs to wear on their own which do nothing properly. It's got a bit out of hand !