Which is better in caring for contact lenses and good eye health
care?.. Regular clean/rinse/hydrogen peroxide methods or using
the new multicleaning solutions(like renu or solocare). How long have
the multicleaning solutions(renu/solocare/etc) been around? are they
time tested products?. Are there multicleaning solutions that contain
no preservatives?.  Are the chemicals harzardous to your eyes over a
long period of time?. I am new to this so can someone give me a
webpage URL or description on how the regular "clean/rinse/hydrogen
peroxide" methods work?. How long has the "clean/rinse/hydrogen
peroxide" methods been around? is it time tested?.
Thanks

Maxwell

As has been said elsewhere, the best system is the one you will comply
with.  If you don't use it, it's no good.  Multi-purpose solutions have
been around about 15 years, I think, and no, I don't think there are any
nonpreserved multi-purpose solutions out there (they would have to be
sold in sterile single-dose units).

"Clean/Rinse/Peroxide" systems work like this:

1) Clean with a mild detergent solution which will remove most
biological material and fingerprints;

2) Rinse with a physiological saline solution (sterile or preserved);

3) Disinfect with a hydrogen peroxide solution;

4) Neutralize the peroxide solution, using one of many systems created
by different companies.

5) Some systems require that you rinse the lenses again before putting
them in (I do this anyway, with plain sterile saline, as it reduces the
chance of irritation);

6) Non-disposable lenses may need to be cleansed of protein using an
enzyme, if this is not handled by the daily cleaner.

--
Larry King

The Once and Future NAMETAGG

 Hydrogen peroxide is in US since 1983, multipurpose solution (renu,
solocare etc.) 1987. I think it's old enough to reveal drawbacks.

 Basically, multipurpose solutions. Hydrogen peroxide solutions are
detrimental if you failed to neutralize them. Besides, after neutralization,
hydrogen peroxide holds no disinfecting ability. Different from multipurpose
solutions..

 No. Multipurpose solutions themselves are carefully prepared and diluted
preservatives.

 I think they aren't. Unless you have hypersensitivity or vulnerability to
such chemicals.

--
Masamaru Inaba  Osaka, Japan

Is there something new and better that just came out?  Is there a product or
group of "single solution" products that you think are superior?

I've recently started wearing soft contacts (toric) and I was looking here
for comments on preferred brands of cleaning solution.

 You're right. Looking back the history, disinfecting method for hydrogel
contact lens has been changed from heat, strong preservatives (such as
Thimerosal), H2O2, to multipurpose solutions. One strange finding is that
"disinfecting ability" is getting worse. Heat disinfection was the best way
to perform disinfection, while multipurpose solutions are the weakest agent.

 The reason is compliance and certainty. Heat disinfection uses apparatus
which may malfunctions. Strong preservatives were harmful as you have
pointed out correctly, H2O2 may be harmful if neutralizing catalyzer is not
properly applied. Incompliance does matter, overall. H2O2 user may
abbreviate disinfecting step by using neutralizing solution only. He may
wear his lenses 1 month after neutralization.

 If he uses multipurpose solution, he have that solution only in his
bathroom. So he soaks his lenses in it, or he have to discard lenses. That
is the most important point. Multipurpose solution should be used solely.
Cleaning solution (or protein remover) can be combined, but never with
soaking solution.

 Multipurpose solution is not mighty. It causes troubles sometimes, to some
users. H2O2 is a desirable choice in such cases. But first choice should be
mutlipurpose solution, I think.

--
Masamaru Inaba  Osaka, Japan