Gas permeable contact lenses

[drspouse]

I have had GP lenses for years, and the optician always said it was OK to rinse with tap water after cleaning with the separate cleaner.
The latest visit a different optician threw up his hands in horror and said no way, to use saline.
So I dutifully got a bottle but I worry I'm not rinsing them well enough as I always run them under loads of tap water.
Can I used cooled boiled water? I'm very worried if I don't rinse well enough I'll get the cleanser (basically soap) in my eye, as I've done it by accident before and OW.

They need to be rinsed with a sterile solution - could you use the saline after the boiled water?

On a separate note, I used to love my GPs - but I was told I had to have the soft kind, which I didn't get on with so I gave them up .

I don't get on with soft ones either, I do sympathise.
I was told it was bugs in tap water so was hoping boiled water would be OK - I'm not sure if the saline would then remove the bugs??

It should do if you rinse them thoroughly - it's supposed to remove anything that gets onto them e.g. through handling. Yes, there are horror stories about tap water bugs - I must admit mine sometimes had an emergency rinse in tap water .

I wouldn't use tap water. It has to be a sterile solution. I think there's been some horrendous stories about bacteria in water getting into people's eyes and causing real issues - it stopped me showering with contacts in!

Saline really is the best thing for contacts. You can get big bottles online cheaper than from the opticians.

I don't think I'm rinsing them properly with the squeeze nozzle though.
Can't water be sterile if it's boiled?

(I also thought that all the issues were with soft lenses that have water actually in them, which GPs don't, but I don't shower or swim in them anyway).

You can use cooled boiled water. There's a rare bug in tap water that will eat your eyeball.

Never use tap water. If you rinse in saline (not a flood just a rinse) then store in fresh soaking/wetting solution overnight you just then need a few drops of fresh wetting solution before you insert.

I've used gas permeable contact lenses for over 44 years, or at least since they were available. I rinse mine with saline. Not had an eye infection yet.

An optician described me as a dinosaur (charming) for still wearing this kind however he agreed that they were better for your eyes and cheaper to 'run' than any other kind. Unless you lose them when it's about £70 for a new one. I'm sticking with them for the foreseeable future.

Never use water straight out of the tap to rinse, NEVER.
Contact lenses will hold any bugs still in it up against your eye in perfect breeding conditions - I'm shocked you were told it was ok!
You can use boiled completely cooled water as long as what youre using it to pour from is also sterile, Saline is easier though.

Why not go back and ask the optician about your options? They are the trained experts in this.

When I first got mine 25 years ago I was told it was fine to rinse with tap water. It's only more recently I've been told to use saline solution.

It's a struggle to wash off the cleaner with a small trickle of saline. I also find they get really smeary and uncomfortable when I wear them.

I tend to just stick to my glasses now.

@drspouse , I've used the same routine with GP lenses for about half a century. Clean them with the cleaning solution, rinse with lots of tap water, then store overnight in the sterile conditioning solution.

Except when I've been in a country where you can't drink the tap water. Then I've used bottled water which I boiled and cooled.

So far I have had no problem with infection. Though I've probably jinxed myself now.

@Angelika321 that's exactly it.
Just popped into the optician and she suggested putting the saline into a larger case to clean them but I'm not convinced. Boiled water is fine though, also I only need to use the cleanser once a week apparently .

"It's a struggle to wash off the cleaner with a small trickle of saline. I also find they get really smeary and uncomfortable when I wear them."

Are you also rubbing them with your finger? The routine I was told was cleaner, then wash your hands and put a bit of saline in the palm of your hand. Contact lense in and use a clean fingertip to gently massage the lens a bit, this helps get any residue and solution off before you put them back in.

Please please please do not use tap water boiled or straight from the tap to rinse your contact lenses.

It is rare but there is an increasing risk of

acanthamoeba . This delightful amoeba is not killed by boiling.

However acanthamoeba can be avoided if you use correct solutions and no tap water of any kind.

I have worn GP lenses for years and was also advised to clean them with tap water years ago but the advice has now changed due to a large increase in this amoeba causing infections and in some cases blindness

So what's the function of the sterile conditioning/storage fluid?

@Jouska the optician has said it's fine if it's boiled.

I do rub on my hand. Lots. I can still see the cleanser.