Walk through the contact lens care department at any drugstore or supermarket and you will most likely come across a wide variety of products. Everything becomes even more confusing when you realize that they all do almost the same thing. So, what do you choose for your contact lenses? Well, this is exactly the problem that we will be discussing in our article on the best contact solution options for 2018. It may be a bit difficult, but it’s crucial to understand lens care. Especially because not taking good care of your contact lenses can lead not only to a large number of infections and problems, but you can even end up blind.
In reality, contact lens care is not that complicated. It all simply takes a bit of care and preparation. As opposed to what contact lens care meant a few years ago, nowadays, it has all become a lot easier. We now have disposable contact lenses, care systems, and solutions that come in a bottle. They are not expensive, they are easy to use, and most importantly, efficient. As for contact solutions, it’s important not to change the type that you are currently using without asking your doctor first. As with any other products, compatibility doesn’t always happen. So, in order to help you choose the best contact lens solution, in this article, we have prepared a list of the best options for 2018, along with their types, uses, benefits, and the answers to your most frequent questions. Enjoy!
The Top 10 Contact Solution Options
In the chart below, you will find my top 10 rated contact solution options. For a more in-depth review of each type, please click on the Read Review link.
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Equate Saline Solution, Contact Lens Solution for Sensitive Eyes |
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Alcon OPTI-FREE Replenish Multi-Purpose Disinfecting Solution |
Best Types of Contact Solution
We have already mentioned in the introduction of our article that choosing the best contact solution for your lenses and eyes can be a bit daunting. It’s important to know that there are some things that you need to take into account when choosing or changing your lens care routine. This is especially relevant if you’ve never worn contact lenses before and it’s the first time that you are looking for a contact solution. Then, it’s crucial to be completely aware of the problems that come with not cleaning your contact lenses properly.
As for the types of contact solutions, you should know that there are many of them. Each is for specific lens types and have their own ingredients. Also, not all solutions react well to every lens type. So, in order to be sure that your combination is a good one, ask your eye doctor first. We have also prepared a list of the best types of contact solutions from which you can choose the one that suits your needs the most.
Type 1: Multipurpose Contact Solution
This is the easiest to find and most convenient contact solution type out there. Multipurpose solutions are usually specially created to clean the lenses, rub, rinse, and even store them safely. This type is very effective and spares you from a lot of trouble and buys you time. You can clean, rinse, and disinfect your lenses, all with the solution from the same bottle. Also, you can place your lenses in their case with a small amount of solution and leave them for about six hours. When you’re ready to wear them again, rinse them, and that’s it! With this miraculous solution, you won’t need anything else for your contact lenses.
Pros
- plus Easiest to find contact solution type
- plus Has an affordable price
- plus Does everything for your lenses
Cons
- close Could cause eye infections
- close Six hours is a long time
- close Cheapest doesn’t always equal quality
Type 2: Hydrogen Peroxide Contact Solution
This type of contact solution works in a completely different way than the multipurpose one. They usually come with a metallic disco or tablet included in the case which you need to place in the solution. This is necessary in order to neutralize the disinfectant before wearing the lenses. According to eye care professionals, you should first clean your lenses with a different solution. Because the hydrogen peroxide is toxic to the cornea, that extra step when you need to neutralize the solution needs to be done properly. After that step, your solution will become saline and no longer harmful. These contact solutions are also preservatives-free and therefore excellent for people with eye sensitivity.
Pros
- plus A very effective solution
- plus Easy to find
- plus Doesn’t have preservatives
Cons
- close Takes multiple steps
- close Forgetting to neutralize can injure your eyes
Type 3: Saline Contact Solution
Experts are recommending saline solutions because they are very cheap and easy to find and use. However, you should only rinse your lenses with a saline solution, and not store them in it. You should use saline solution when you are also using heat or UV disinfection system. Also, you can use them with various enzymatic cleaning tablets or other cleaning devices. The bottom line is that saline solutions don’t usually do the job on their own. Keep in mind that no other fluid, like various types of water or saliva, should come into contact with your contact lenses!
Pros
- plus A very cheap and quick alternative
- plus Good for rinsing your lenses
- plus Works great when paired with other disinfecting devices
Cons
- close Useless for disinfecting and storing the lenses
- close Used with other devices
- close Should be doctor prescribed
Common Features of Contact Solutions
Contact solutions are not a choice when you are wearing contact lenses; they are mandatory! There should really be no discussion regarding the need to use the best contact solution out there to disinfect and store your lenses. Apart from this, it’s also very important to be aware of this product’s common features before making a choice. This is why, in order to help you, we came up with some of the most important common features of contact solutions which every contact lens-wearer should absolutely be aware of. Here we go!
- check-circle-o They keep your contacts clean– Contact solutions have one main purpose: to keep your lenses as clean as possible for you to be able to wear them safely and not end up with various infections. This is probably the most important common feature that all contact solution brands and types have. No matter what kind you have decided to use, your health should be above anything else, especially when it comes to your eyes. Some of the effects of not wearing clean contact lenses include fungal eye infections, and in extreme cases, blindness. It’s a horrible thing to have it happen to you simply because you didn’t care enough to properly clean your lenses. This is precisely why everyone should pay attention to what their doctor is saying.
- check-circle-o They are easy to use– Using contact solution the right way is no big deal, even if certain types require either additional steps or to be paired with disinfecting devices. This is the smallest price that you can pay, a few minutes of your life, to make sure that your eyes and sight will remain healthy after using contact lenses too. Rinsing, rubbing, and storing your contacts is not a huge effort by any means, and it’s something that everyone out there should do, no matter how tired, or bad they feel after a long day at work.
- check-circle-o They are affordable– Affordability is yet another common feature of contact solutions. And while there are certain brands that are more expensive than others, those are usually the safest. It’s not a rule, but more of a general understanding of this topic. However, you are free to try any brand or type of contact solution that you feel will suit your needs. None of them are too expensive; this is why the price of such an important product doesn’t matter too much, especially when your health is at stake.
Things To Consider Before Buying Contact Solution
Now that we’ve touched upon the subject of the different types of contact solution out there, we should move onto some other things that you should take into account when deciding to buy the perfect contact solution for you. As is the case with any other product on the market, it’s worth mentioning that not every type of contact solution will suit your needs. However, if you buy one and upon using it you notice something strange or any adverse reaction, you should immediately throw away that product and talk to your eye expert. Again, for this part of the article, we have prepared a list of the most important things that you need to consider before buying contact solution. Here we go!
Do You Have Eye Sensitivity?
This is very important to know before buying any kind of contact solution. Certain types out there contain ingredients that may harm your eyes and cause irritation and discomfort. Usually, if you know you struggle with sensitivity, you should use a hydrogen peroxide contact solution. The reason for this is because those usually don’t contain preservatives, which many contact wearers are very sensitive to, and which can be found in all the other disinfecting solutions. However, this is just advice because the first step when it comes to choosing the best contact solution for you is to go and consult with your eye expert. He/ She will surely tell you what to buy according to your specific needs and problems.
How Much Time Are You Willing To Invest In Cleaning Your Lenses?
This is also very important because a multipurpose contact solution does everything in one go and buys you some time. On the other hand, a hydrogen peroxide solution, a more effective alternative, requires some extra steps in order for you to enjoy its full benefits. As for the saline solution, this only works when paired with other cleaning devices, which again, takes some more time. So, this is truly a question that only you can answer to, according to your daily schedule and amount of free time.
Do You Usually Forget To Do Things?
The answer to this seemingly unusual question is actually very important. If you are usually someone who forgets to do daily tasks without being reminded, wearing contact lenses might not be for you. This is because they require a daily, intricate routine that you must complete without exception. Otherwise, things can get pretty bad for your eyes. As a piece of advice, if you know you are forgetting things but still want to wear contact lenses, an alarm might be the best solution for you. This will remind you that you need to clean your lenses at the same time every day.
Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying Contact Solution
At this point in our article, you should know a lot more about contact solution, and its different types and uses. However, you should know that this is not everything that you should be aware of when choosing your contact solution. So, if you still feel like you have some unanswered questions, worry not! We are here to offer the answers you need. This is why we have prepared another list of important questions that you should ask yourself this time before buying contact solution.
Q: Will I remember to disinfect my contact lenses?
A: As we’ve previously mentioned, some people can forget to do this, the same way they forget to deal with daily chores. This is a problem that only you can solve or your alarm can solve. You can set a reminder to make sure that you will not forget to disinfect your contact lenses every day. Keep in mind that this step is mandatory and should not be skipped! However, if you still forget to do it, you’d better give up on wearing contact lenses and buy a good pair of glasses for your problems.
Q: Will I end up with eye problems by wearing contact lenses?
A: No, you will not end up with any eye problems by wearing contact lenses unless you forget to disinfect them using the proper contact solution. Usually, clean and sterile contact lenses do not cause any issues at all, like infections or any other kinds of problems. Dirty ones, however, can even blind you. Also, you might feel uncomfortable wearing contacts if you have eye sensitivity. In this case, you should make sure to clean them with hydrogen peroxide contact solution. It does not contain any preservatives or ingredients that can irritate your eye and aggravate your problems.
Q: Will I be able to wear makeup if I also wear contact lenses?
A: Yes, you will be able to wear contact lenses if you also like to apply makeup. The key is to put them on even before applying the moisturizer on your face. Also, make sure to properly wash your hands before removing them. Apart from this, using a high-quality contact solution is mandatory as well as avoiding putting any makeup on your waterline. You might love a smoky eye, but contact lenses touching eye pencils or eyeshadows is never pretty. This combination can harshly irritate your eyes and only make things worse. But the answer is yes; you will be able to wear makeup without any worries even if you’re wearing contact lenses.
Why Is Contact Solution Awesome?
The list of reasons why contact solutions are awesome and also a very valuable product is very big. And while we’ve touched on some of these reasons previously in our article, there are still some left for us to discuss. The main idea is that contact solutions bring you nothing but benefits if used right. As for brands, these don’t even matter anymore because nowadays, all of them produce high-quality products which have almost the exact same benefits. So, here is our list of some of the reasons why contact solutions are awesome and very valuable. Enjoy!
They Protect You From Infections
Indeed, probably the most important reason why contact solutions are such valuable assets. You cannot really use your contact lenses without a solution to disinfect them beforehand. These different types of solutions, while having different methods of use, essentially do the same thing: they clean your lenses and protect your eyes from infections. As we’ve previously said, health needs to come above everything else and contact solutions help you stay healthy.
Everyone Can Use It
Contact solutions are for absolutely everyone who wears contact lenses. Again, they are mandatory if you want to avoid getting an eye infection or worse, going blind. It doesn’t matter which type of contact lenses you use, what age you are, or the color of your eyes. Every type of contact solution out there does the same thing and has the same purpose.
There Are Many Options
Another reason why contact solutions are awesome is that there are many options to choose from. Apart from the types that we’ve discussed beforehand, there are a lot of different brands that make them. Their prices are for everyone, low, or a bit higher. You can use a multipurpose solution if you want to buy more time, or a hydrogen peroxide one if you have eye sensitivity. Even a saline solution is a good option in some cases. Finally, it all depends on your needs, preferences, and what your eye doctor advises you.
Recommended Best Sellers
- Pack of two, 12 fluid ounce (Total of 24 fluid ounce)
- Use for rinsing after daily cleaning and before insertion
- Safe for rinsing before or after heat, chemical, or hydrogen peroxide...
Common Questions
Now that we are nearing the end of our article on the best contact solution options for 2018, there are some answers left that we want to answer for you. We can only hope to have covered all of your curiosities as best as possible and to convince you that contact solutions are mandatory and not optional. So, this is our list of the most common questions regarding contact solutions along with the best answers to them. Enjoy!
- chevron-circle-right Q: Can I use water as contact solution?
- chevron-circle-rightA: No! You should by no means use water instead of contact solution to either clean or store your contact lenses. Actually, while wearing contacts, you should avoid getting water in your eyes, whether you are swimming, boating on a lake, or simply taking a bath. Water contains microorganisms that can be very dangerous for your eyes. If they stick to your contact lenses or get trapped under them, your eye can suffer some sight-threatening infections. If you accidentally got water in your eyes while wearing contacts, immediately remove them after washing your hands. The best thing that you can do in this case is to prevent such accidents from happening. So, no. Never use tap water, distilled, or bottled water instead of contact solution!
- chevron-circle-right Q: Can I sleep with my contact lenses on?
- chevron-circle-rightA: Absolutely not! This is yet another big mistake that people are usually making. The problem here is that sleeping with contacts limits your oxygen transmission. This is different than during the day because your eyes are open. During the night, when you’re sleeping, your eyes are closed and wearing contacts can cause your cornea to rip. And let’s not mention the infections that you can end up with.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this was our article on the best contact solution options for this year that you can choose from. As we’ve previously mentioned, using a contact solution is mandatory as it prevents your eyes from being subject to infections that are sometimes sight-threatening. If you are a contact lens wearer, you should always have a bottle of contact solution that suits your needs close by.
Moreover, you should also be careful to disinfect and store your lenses accordingly and if something goes wrong, to immediately go and see your doctor. We hope that we provided enough information regarding this interesting topic and that from now on, you will know a lot more about contact solutions. So, what did you think about our article? Did it help you in any way? Tell us down below!
External References and Citations
- chevron-circle-right Uses of contact solution for makeup
- chevron-circle-right Do’s and Don’ts of contact solutions
- chevron-circle-right What to do if you’re allergic to contact solution or lenses
Last update on 2023-04-18 at 02:11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API