Running out of contact lens solution can create a moment of panic, but it is important to remember that this product is a sterile, medical-grade substance. Contact lenses sit directly on the cornea, making them a direct pathway for microbes and contaminants to cause infection. The correct solution cleans, disinfects, and hydrates the lens material, a complex process that cannot be replicated with common household alternatives. Improper lens care risks serious, sight-threatening complications, so eye safety must be prioritized above all else.
Immediate Alternatives for Lens Rinsing
If you need to rinse a lens immediately, the only safe, commercially prepared substitute is a sterile, preservative-free saline solution. This solution matches the natural salt concentration of tears, making it suitable for a quick rinse to remove debris or rehydrate the lens. It is important to understand that saline solution is not a disinfecting agent and will not kill harmful bacteria or fungi; it only prepares the lens for proper storage in a disinfecting solution later.
If you have no sterile saline, remove the contact lenses immediately and place them in a clean, dry case, or discard them altogether. Tap water, bottled water, or boiled and cooled water are unacceptable for rinsing or storage. Tap water contains microorganisms, such as the microscopic amoeba Acanthamoeba, which can cause severe infection when trapped against the sensitive corneal tissue.
Critical Safety Warning: What Never to Use for Storage
The distinction between a temporary rinse and a proper storage solution is the difference between hydration and disinfection. Proper storage requires a solution that actively kills pathogens, which household liquids cannot do. The most significant danger comes from tap water, which is a known source of Acanthamoeba that causes a devastating infection called Acanthamoeba keratitis. This rare but serious corneal infection is extremely painful, resistant to treatment, and frequently leads to permanent vision loss or requires a corneal transplant.
Unsafe Storage Alternatives
Never use homemade saline solutions. Boiling water does not guarantee sterility, and an improperly balanced salt concentration can damage the lens material or irritate the eye.
Do not use saliva, as the human mouth is full of bacteria that can easily transfer to the lens and dramatically increase the risk of bacterial keratitis.
Moisturizing or rewetting eye drops are also not substitutes for storage solution because they lack the necessary disinfecting agents. These drops are designed only to lubricate the eye while the lens is being worn. Storing lenses in non-disinfecting liquids allows pathogens to multiply rapidly, introducing a concentrated load of infection directly onto the eye.
When to Prioritize Glasses and Seek Proper Solution
If you find yourself without any proper contact lens solution, the safest recommendation is to remove the lenses and switch to glasses immediately. Do not attempt to wear lenses that have been stored in any non-sterile or non-disinfecting liquid, as the risk of blinding infection outweighs any inconvenience.
Acquiring a new bottle of contact lens solution should be your first priority. Most major 24-hour pharmacies, large grocery stores, and big-box retailers carry a variety of solutions. Purchase a travel-sized bottle of multipurpose solution if necessary. Only after the lenses have been properly disinfected in a fresh, sterile solution for the recommended soaking time should you consider wearing them again.