I decided that I wanted to wear contacts instead of glasses when I was 12 years old, and I’ve pretty much been wearing contact lenses ever since. I never really had any problems with my contacts until a few months ago I noticed that my eyes were getting really dry and I was having problems keeping my lenses in all day. I did some research on the internet, and I found out that it could actually be the cleaning solution I was using that was causing the problem.
When I was about 20, I started using one of the multi-purpose, “no-rub” solutions that are so popular these days. While these multi-purpose solutions are extremely convenient, they contain chemicals that can actually cause your lenses to dry out faster than they would otherwise. A few websites that I checked out had endorsements for a contact cleaning system called Clear Care, and they said that this solution was particularly good for people that suffered from dry eyes. I decided it was worth a small investment to check it out, so I headed down to the drugstore to pick up some Clear Care solution.
The Clear Care system can be used for either soft or rigid (gas permeable) contact lenses. Unlike my previous solution which contained all sorts of chemicals I had never heard of, I was pleased to read on the package that Clear Care was based on hydrogen peroxide. Because of this, you cannot squirt Clear Care solution directly in your eye (the bottle has a bright red tip to remind you of this), so you will need to have a separate bottle of plain saline solution, which usually only costs a few dollars and will last a long time.
To use the Clear Care system, you need to use a special case that contains a metallic disc to neutralize the hydrogen peroxide. Luckily, one of these special cases is included with each bottle of Clear Care, so you don’t need to worry about making a separate purchase. This is also good since doctors recommend you replace your case every few months anyway, to prevent bacterial contamination. The case has a “basket” for both the right and left lens, and I appreciate the fact that the sides are marked with large letters that are easy to read even without contacts. After taking your lenses out and putting them in their baskets, you just fill the case up with the Clear Care solution and screw on the lid.
Immediately, you’ll see a massive about of tiny bubbles forming on the metallic disc and floating towards the surface. I like that I can actually see Clear Care working–I know that my other solution was working, but the Clear Care bubbles do provide an added measure of confidence in the system. It takes a while for the metallic disc to neutralize all of the hydrogen peroxide, so you have to leave your lenses in the case for at least 6 hours. If you break this rule and take your contacts out early, you won’t do any permanent damage to your eyes, but you will be likely to experience some stinging and burning sensations.
After 6 hours, the Clear Care solution has been completely neutralized, and you can take your lenses out and pop them right into your eyes. I usually give the lenses a quick rinse with some saline solution, although the Clear Care package explicitly states that this step is not necessary. After I had been using Clear Care for awhile, my brother pointed out to me that it was essentially the same thing as the AOSept contact cleaning system we both used growing up. Sure enough, after a quick Google search I discovered that both products are made by CIBA Vision and they are indeed essentially the same. So if you’ve seen AOSept before, you can just think of Clear Care as the next generation of the same product.
So, how did Clear Care work for me? I must say that once I started using the Clear Care system, I immediately noticed an immediate improvement in my dry eye symptoms. My contacts felt better and stayed clearer throughout the day. The 6-hour waiting period and the need for a separate bottle of saline solution are definite disadvantages to this system, but I think the improvement in my vision has been more than worth the trade off. If you feel like your contact lenses get dry or foggy throughout the day, and this happens more frequently than you would like, I would definitely recommend giving the Clear Care system a try. You can find Clear Care at most drug stores, grocery stores, and “big box” stores, and a large bottle of solution with case included will probably cost less than $10.
