Using water as contact lens solution is strongly discouraged by eye care professionals. This practice introduces significant risks to eye health, potentially leading to severe eye infections. Water is not a safe substitute for proper contact lens solutions.
Why Water is Dangerous for Contact Lenses
Water contains various microorganisms that are generally harmless when ingested but can be detrimental to the eyes if introduced via contact lenses. These include bacteria, fungi, and particularly amoebae like Acanthamoeba. When contact lenses come into contact with water, they can absorb these contaminants, creating a breeding ground for infection.
Water’s chemical composition also poses a problem for contact lenses. Water is hypotonic, meaning it has a lower salt concentration than the eye’s natural tear film. This difference in tonicity causes soft contact lenses to absorb excess water and swell or change shape. Such changes can lead to discomfort, blurred vision, and can even cause the lens to stick to the eye, potentially damaging the cornea.
Commercial contact lens solutions are specifically formulated with disinfecting agents to clean and sterilize lenses. Water lacks this property. Using water means lenses are not adequately disinfected, increasing the risk of microbial growth. Water exposure can also compromise the effectiveness of any residual cleaning agents on the lens, promoting bacterial proliferation.
Common Eye Infections from Improper Lens Care
Improper contact lens care, including water use, significantly increases the risk of various eye infections. Bacterial keratitis, an inflammation of the cornea, is common. Symptoms include eye pain, redness, blurred vision, light sensitivity, and discharge. Untreated, it can lead to vision loss.
Fungal keratitis is another serious infection from improper lens hygiene. This condition can lead to permanent vision loss. Symptoms are similar to bacterial keratitis.
Acanthamoeba keratitis is a severe and difficult-to-treat infection. This rare parasitic infection is strongly linked to water exposure, as the Acanthamoeba organism is commonly found in tap water, lakes, and swimming pools.
Symptoms include severe eye pain, a sensation of something in the eye, watery eyes, light sensitivity, and blurred vision, with a whitish halo potentially appearing on the cornea. This infection can result in permanent vision impairment or blindness. Poor hygiene practices, such as showering or swimming with lenses or cleaning cases with tap water, elevate the risk.
Safe Alternatives and Proper Lens Handling
For cleaning, disinfecting, and storing contact lenses, only commercially manufactured, sterile contact lens solutions should be used. These solutions are specifically designed to maintain lens integrity and provide necessary disinfection. Multipurpose solutions allow cleaning, rinsing, disinfecting, and storing with a single product. Hydrogen peroxide-based solutions provide strong disinfection, though they require a neutralization step before lenses can be worn. Saline solutions are appropriate for rinsing lenses but do not disinfect them and should not be used for cleaning or storage.
Proper hygiene is fundamental to safe contact lens wear. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water and dry them with a lint-free towel before handling lenses. Lenses should be rubbed and rinsed with fresh solution as directed by an eye care professional. Lens cases should be cleaned with fresh solution and replaced regularly, typically every three months, to prevent bacterial accumulation.
In emergency situations where proper contact lens solution is unavailable, discard the lenses. If discarding is not an immediate option, lenses can be temporarily stored in sterile saline solution; however, saline does not disinfect, and lenses must be thoroughly cleaned with proper disinfecting solution as soon as possible.
Never use water, saliva, or homemade solutions. Regular eye exams and consulting an optometrist or ophthalmologist for proper care instructions are also important.