When selecting a contact lens solution, there are many options readily available at any pharmacy or grocery store. These contact lens solutions are all approved by the FDA for their intended purpose and have unique benefits. Consult with your eye doctor to determine if one contact lens solution is the best option for your particular situation.
Best All-Around Contact Lens Solution
For a contact lens solution that offers great cleaning, is easy to use, and is simple to find, we recommend Alcon’s Opti-Free Pure Moist contact lens solution.
This white bottle and green label are synonymous with soft contact lens wear and have cemented themselves as a top-tier contact lens solution for years.
This is a multi-purpose solution that is approved to clean, disinfect, and store contacts overnight in a case.
To use this solution, remove the contact lens and place it on the palm of your hand. Drop one or two drops of the solution on the contact lens and rub it gently to remove any loose debris from the contact lens.
After gently cleaning the lens, place it in a clean contact lens case and cover it with the contact lens solution and place the cap on the case.
The Pure Moist solution is very good at cleaning general-use contact lenses that are not subjected to any particularly harsh environments. It removes and kills the vast majority of bacteria from the lenses.
This solution has very easy-to-follow directions for use and is found at nearly all retailers that sell contact lens supplies making it very simple and easy to keep stocked up.
Best Contact Lens Solution for Sensitive Eyes
For eyes that are particularly sensitive to preservatives, or cleaning agents, or are simply susceptible to allergic reactions, the best contact lens solution is Bausch and Lomb BioTru multipurpose solution. This solution does not contain the same harsh preservatives as others on the market.
Since this solution has fewer preservatives, it can be used by many individuals with sensitivities to preservatives or pH changes in the eyes.
This is a great option for those who have allergy-related issues to prevent any unwanted problems as well.
While the lack of preservatives is certainly a benefit in terms of being less harsh on the ocular surface, it also has a much shorter shelf life than other comparable contact lens solutions.
Best Contact Lens Solutions for Hard Contact Lenses
Hard contact lenses, including rigid gas permeable contact lenses, orthokeratology contact lenses, and scleral contact lenses, should be cleaned with a stronger solution due to the extended wear time for these types of lenses.
The recommended solution for hard contact lenses is Alcon’s ClearCare peroxide cleaning system.
This system uses hydrogen peroxide as a cleaning and disinfecting agent that is very potent and able to clear the bacterial buildup that these hard lenses may be exposed to through the year or longer of use.
The major difference with ClearCare is that since peroxide is used, it must also be washed out and allowed to rest in a rinsing bath before the lenses can be worn again.
