After patients have been successfully fit with contact lenses, a high percentage of complications and adverse reactions are related to skipping or shortcutting the recommended procedure for cleaning, disinfecting, and storing their lenses. A study revealed that 27% of patients admitted that they don’t clean their lenses daily, and it is likely that an even higher percentage of lens wearers are non-compliant in some way.

Some patients have used dishwashing liquid, baby shampoo, or even toothpaste instead of the recommended cleaners; stored their lenses dry, rather than in an FDA-approved disinfecting solution; and used saliva (which contains a host of sight-threatening microorganisms) instead of the sterile solutions that are readily available, to wet their lenses before inserting them in their eyes.

Eye infections, while infrequent, can be devastating, preventing patients from wearing their contact lenses for days or weeks and sometimes resulting in permanent corneal scarring and loss of vision. A thorough understanding of the role played by each of the rigid lens care products will help to keep lenses clean and eyes healthy.