> I have been reading about how bacteria-ridden old contact lens cases
> can be a significant cause of eye infection, and have been wondering
> what is the best way to clean them.  My doctor's office told me to
> simply rinse the case with warm water after I remove my lenses from
> it.  I have been doing one better than that--I have an instant hot
> water dispenser in my kitchen that dispenses 190F (88C) water, so I
> rinse the case with this (trying to avoid scalding my fingers!), and
> let it air dry (upside down so airborne contaminants don't settle into
> them).  The no-rub cleaning solutions I've been using direct me to
> rinse the case with their solution (not surprisingly, since this will
> make me use more of their product) and let them air dry.

> Does anybody have any opinion of which approach is better, or care to
> suggest an alternate?  Hydrogen peroxide perhaps?  I don't see any
> point in periodically throwing away the cases if there is any easy way
> to sanitize them.

> Lothar

>Don't spend more on cleaning than you would spend on a new case.

>uttered like so:

>>Don't spend more on cleaning than you would spend on a new case.

>That sounds like good advice!  I just don't see any point in replacing
>the cases if an easy way to sanitize them works just fine.  I have
>been considering simply keeping a lab squirt bottle filled with either
>{*filter*} or hydrogen peroxide next to my bathroom sink, and giving the
>case a thorough squirt after I rinse it--if not every day, then every
>few days.  {*filter*} would at least displace any residual water, and
>would evaporate quickly.  Either one would certainly kill any bacteria
>on the case.  Perhaps this is overkill though, and a simple hot water
>rinse is enough, even for long-term use of the same case?

>Lothar

> uttered like so:

> >Don't spend more on cleaning than you would spend on a new case.

> That sounds like good advice!  I just don't see any point in replacing
> the cases if an easy way to sanitize them works just fine.  I have

> I sterilize my winemaking equipment with bleach, and it eat away at gunk and
> completely dissolve it.  I'm just going to throw my case in some bleach
> water every month or so.  Even years later, I can't imagine anything would
> be growing on it.  Just remember, rinse the heck out of it after you bleach
> it, and maybe even soak it in some solution for a few hours and then toss it
> out, just to be on the safe side.  :-)

> Ian

> >uttered like so:

> >>Don't spend more on cleaning than you would spend on a new case.

> >That sounds like good advice!  I just don't see any point in replacing
> >the cases if an easy way to sanitize them works just fine.  I have
> >been considering simply keeping a lab squirt bottle filled with either
> >{*filter*} or hydrogen peroxide next to my bathroom sink, and giving the
> >case a thorough squirt after I rinse it--if not every day, then every
> >few days.  {*filter*} would at least displace any residual water, and
> >would evaporate quickly.  Either one would certainly kill any bacteria
> >on the case.  Perhaps this is overkill though, and a simple hot water
> >rinse is enough, even for long-term use of the same case?

> >Lothar

> ---
> http://www.***.com/

>Hot-water rinse and air-dry reduces bacteria counts far below what you find on
>the fingers, lids, and the eyes themselves.

> keep reading about how continuous use of the same case can promote
> infection.  I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but if water rinsing
> alone is going to put my eyes at risk, then I want to use something
> more aggressive.  If that means throwing away the case every few
> weeks, then I will, but this just seems unnecessary.

>I think "continuous use" implies typical human behavior where half of them won't
>rinse it, won't clean it, won't throw it away. I've seen some pretty {*filter*}
>cases.

>Date: 8/7/2003 7:14 AM Eastern Daylight Time

>I have been reading about how bacteria-ridden old contact lens cases
>can be a significant cause of eye infection, and have been wondering
>what is the best way to clean them.  My doctor's office told me to
>simply rinse the case with warm water after I remove my lenses from
>it.  I have been doing one better than that--I have an instant hot
>water dispenser in my kitchen that dispenses 190F (88C) water, so I
>rinse the case with this (trying to avoid scalding my fingers!), and
>let it air dry (upside down so airborne contaminants don't settle into
>them).  The no-rub cleaning solutions I've been using direct me to
>rinse the case with their solution (not surprisingly, since this will
>make me use more of their product) and let them air dry.  

>Does anybody have any opinion of which approach is better, or care to
>suggest an alternate?  Hydrogen peroxide perhaps?  I don't see any
>point in periodically throwing away the cases if there is any easy way
>to sanitize them.

>Lothar