Contact lenses require a specialized, sterile liquid for proper storage to maintain both their physical integrity and your eye health. The primary safety message is that contact lenses must only be stored in approved, sterile solution. Using unapproved alternatives poses significant risks to your ocular health and can permanently damage the lenses. This specialized solution is necessary for disinfection and hydration, functions that no household liquid can safely replicate.
The Direct Answer: Immediate Risks of Improper Storage
Storing contact lenses without the proper solution, or allowing them to dry out, creates immediate consequences for the lens material. Soft contact lenses are hydrogels that require hydration to retain their shape and flexibility. If they dry out (desiccation), they become brittle, change shape, and can develop microscopic cracks.
Changes in the lens matrix mean the lens no longer fits the cornea correctly, which can cause discomfort, blurred vision, or scratch the delicate surface of the eye upon reinsertion. Rehydrating a lens that has completely dried out may not fully restore its original shape or smoothness. Debris and protein deposits accumulated during wear can also become embedded in the dried material, irritating the eye when the lens is worn again.
The greatest danger of improper storage lies in the rapid proliferation of microorganisms when disinfection is absent. A lens stored in a non-sterile environment becomes a vector for severe eye infections, such as microbial keratitis. This infection can be painful, difficult to treat, and may lead to permanent vision loss if the cornea is severely damaged.
Analysis of Common Substitutes
Many people turn to common household liquids in an emergency, but these substitutes carry severe risks. Tap water, bottled water, or distilled water should never be used to rinse or store contact lenses. Water contains numerous impurities and microorganisms that are harmless when ingested but dangerous to the eye.
The most serious danger in water is the presence of the parasite Acanthamoeba, a microbe commonly found in soil and water sources. When this organism attaches to a contact lens, it can cause Acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare but painful and sight-threatening infection that is difficult to treat. Furthermore, tap water has a different osmolarity and pH than the eye’s natural tear film, causing soft lenses to swell or shrink, which alters their fit and comfort.
Plain saline solution only rinses the lens and lacks the disinfecting agents needed for safe storage. Using saline means the lens is not cleaned of accumulated bacteria and protein deposits. Saliva is also a dangerous substitute because it introduces a high concentration of oral bacteria, greatly increasing the risk of serious microbial contamination and subsequent eye infection.
Essential Steps for Emergency Situations
If you find yourself away from home without access to contact lens solution, the most prudent action is to prioritize your eye safety over attempting to save the lenses. If the lenses are disposable, the safest approach is to immediately remove and discard them. Wearing lenses that have been stored improperly introduces an unacceptable risk of infection.
If the lenses are not disposable and must be saved temporarily, immediately locate the nearest source of commercially manufactured, sterile solution. This might involve finding a 24-hour pharmacy, a hospital, or a large convenience store. Until the proper product is acquired, the lenses should not be worn if they have been exposed to water or any other unapproved liquid.
Once the correct solution is obtained, the lenses should be thoroughly cleaned and soaked in the fresh, sterile solution for the minimum recommended disinfection time, often several hours, before being worn again. If the lenses have dried out or were stored in an unapproved liquid, they may still be damaged or contaminated. Consulting an eye care professional before reinserting them is highly recommended.
The Function of Contact Lens Solution
Approved contact lens solution is a complex, multi-component chemical formulation designed to perform several specific tasks that protect both the lens and the eye. The primary role is disinfection, involving chemical agents that actively kill or neutralize harmful microorganisms. These disinfectants prevent the lens from becoming a vector for infection and are effective against a broad spectrum of pathogens while remaining safe for ocular tissues.
A second function is cleaning, often achieved through surfactants included in the formula. These surfactants lift and wash away physical debris, protein deposits, and lipids that accumulate on the lens surface from tear film during wear. Without this cleaning action, deposits can build up, reducing visual clarity and causing eye irritation.
Finally, the solution maintains the lens’s physical properties through hydration and osmotic balance. Wetting agents and saline components ensure the lens remains soft, flexible, and fully hydrated, preventing desiccation and shape change. The formulation mimics the natural environment of the eye, which prevents the lens from shrinking or swelling and maintains wearer comfort.