Contact Lens Wearers - overnight storage?

[OrangeBirdGirl]

So I have used Clear Care for the past 30 years since I started with contacts. My contacts could be worn up to a month at a time (sleeping in them) but I usually take them out at night and clean them. So the Clear Care thing if you aren't familiar is this solution where you can't put it into your eyes, you put the contacts in it and I think it takes like 6 hours for the solution to neutralize so you could then take out and put into eyes. It works great!

However, I can't find the travel size anywhere and I don't want to lug around a big huge bottle like I use at home (and can't just put into another bottle for travel). I'm thinking they discontinued in travel size. What are some options for storing your contacts overnight? I am not sure that just putting in saline in a case is good enough for a week, but maybe that's what everyone just does.

 

[fla4fun]

So I have used Clear Care for the past 30 years since I started with contacts. My contacts could be worn up to a month at a time (sleeping in them) but I usually take them out at night and clean them. So the Clear Care thing if you aren't familiar is this solution where you can't put it into your eyes, you put the contacts in it and I think it takes like 6 hours for the solution to neutralize so you could then take out and put into eyes. It works great!

However, I can't find the travel size anywhere and I don't want to lug around a big huge bottle like I use at home (and can't just put into another bottle for travel). I'm thinking they discontinued in travel size. What are some options for storing your contacts overnight? I am not sure that just putting in saline in a case is good enough for a week, but maybe that's what everyone just does.

I would check with your eye care practitioner to see if they have small sample size bottles available. Also, have you checked the websites for the stores where you have purchased it in the past to see if it can be shipped? From what I read online, it hasn’t been discontinued, but can be hard to find. Good luck!

I used Bausch & Lomb products when I wore contacts. I would use saline if nothing else was available, but I would carry a large bottle of cleaner with me if I couldn’t find a small one just because I felt it was better for my eyes.

 

[NotUrsula]

Travel size is still available; I saw some at a Publix in Florida 2 weeks ago. However, Alcon does say that supply chain issues have disrupted availability. Technically, travel-size is not needed for TSA clearance because contact lens solution is a specific exception to the 3-1-1 rule; you just have to declare it. If you just want it for reduced weight, that's different.

I actually refill the travel-size bottles of Clear Care from my large bottles; I use sterilized pliers to remove and replace the red squeeze cap. That's for business trips when I'm alone; when I'm traveling with my family of 3 contact-lens wearers, I just bring the 16 oz bottle.

PS: Clear Care and similar peroxide contact lens solutions are fine for flying, there is no prohibition against having them on board. I do always double-bag it against leakage, though, because peroxide can bleach fabrics.

PPS: If you decide to refill a different travel-size contact solution bottle with Clear Care, get yourself a bottle of very red nail polish, and paint red warning markers on the lid and bottle, so you won't forget and put it directly in your eyes. (Over the years I've done it a couple of times when half-asleep ... trust me, the pain is unforgettable.)

 

[Mamabun]

I’m guessing Clear Care doesn’t make travel sizes because it is an oxidizer (hydrogen peroxide solution) and not allowed in carry-on luggage. My doctor recommended BioTrue Multi-Purpose Solution as an alternative and it has 2oz little bottles available (https://www.amazon.com/Biotrue-Multi-Purpose-Contact-Lens-Solution/dp/B00DYW0CDG). I think it works well.

 

[Moliphino]

I just use regular contact lens solution most of the time.

 

[fly girl]

They are still around, but agree hard to find. I think I acquired mine years ago when it was an added bonus to the regular size bottle.

If you could find a small saline bottle I would buy that and refill it with the Clear Care. Not the most ideal, but I know I wanted the peroxide cleaner when I used monthly contacts. (Just switched to daily this year with dry eyes … getting older is “fun.” )

 

[RangerPooh]

I currently use BioTrue and store my contacts in their container overnight. I travel with a smaller bottle under 4oz.

 

[sam_gordon]

Get a generic travel size bottle from a store (online or brick).
Fill from larger bottle.
Travel.

 

[martikus]

I have used bio true for years (I wear 30 day contacts that I take out every night). And it’s easy to find it in travel size.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

I’ve used store brand when in a bind when I can find it - again it’s hit or miss any more just finding full size bottles at times ! My eye Dr has not had travel size in 3 yrs and he used to be my go to for it
I would just put some in another bottle if you don’t wish to take full size with you
I’m like you I’ve used it for decades - I need the extra clean it gives my contacts and I’ve found this works the best for me !
Good Luck ! Have a great time !!!

 

[lilmc]

However, I can't find the travel size anywhere

I actually refill the travel-size bottles of Clear Care from my large bottles

When they started becoming harder to find, I got sick of ordering them special from Amazon (I used to have the included in my dual pack box from Sam’s), my husband figured out how to pop the tops off and I refill them now.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

I have worn contacts for 40 years and I have been using BioTrue for the past 10 or so years. I highly recommend it.

 

[bcla]

I don't think Clear Care has been around 30 years, but AOSept was. I recall my eye doc said that AOSept and Clear Care were more or less interchangeable, and most definitely the neutralizing container and disc were interchangeable with both. I was using both with the same containers. My eye doc recommended using Miraflow cleaner with any generic saline to rinse it off before using the AOSept disinfecting. I never did it where I placed it in the basket and then used Clear Care rinse on it. However, when "no rinse" all-in-one disinfecting solutions came out, she actually recommended that over anything else unless there was sensitivity.

And it's a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. It can severely damage eyes without being neutralized with exposure to the platinum coated disc. There's that red tip to warn users not to put that directly in the eye or like a rinse without neutralization.

Allergan/AMO used to have a peroxide disinfecting solution, although I don't recall the name. Never tried it, but the way I recall it worked is that it had a neutralizing tablet that was tossed in the solution after a period of time. I think the tablet also had a

Ciba also had this system called Quick Care which theoretically worked in less than 10 minutes. It included a cleaner (many claimed it was Miraflow) with about 25% alcohol in it, where the alcohol quickly disinfected, but then needed a thorough rinse with the included saline. And then it could be stored in preserved saline. It needed maybe 5 minutes in the saline just in case there was residual alcohol that wasn't rinsed off.

I haven't worn contacts for about a decade though, so I'm not sure about all the new stuff. Back then I remember generic saline worked, but had this really weird odor that I didn't like. B&L had a different kind of saline with a different preservative. I also used pressurized, non preserved saline in a can. That couldn't really be used for storage unless it was for heat disinfection (only for some types of contacts) in a hermetically sealed sense case designed for it. B&L had those.

Other than that, I guess Ciba SoftWear saline was discontinued a long time ago. I thought it was the best saline on the market although it was kind of pricey to use as a rinse. It was able to generate small amounts of peroxide that was safe for the eyes but had enough residual preservative effect that contacts could be stored in them. I heard in some countries it was actually recommended as a disinfectant. I used to use it directly in my eyes for dry lenses. I sometimes would disinfect with something else and then store it with Softwear saline. And my eye doc said that I could just keep a bottle of that with me and if I needed to take out lenses for cleaning later, it would be fine to just store them in some sort of preserved saline.

Of course this is all stuff that should be discussed with an eye doc.

 

[kymom99]

I use opti free on the advice of my eye doctor. I have the 30 day contacts that I take out every night. I used to have trouble with eye infections before I started using the 30 day contacts, but now I have no problems.

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

Thanks everyone! I ordered the Biotrue, 4 pack so I will be set for numerous trips. I'm not worried about taking it as a carry on. Just in general I have one large bag for toiletries in my suitcase and the normal size bottle of Clear Care takes up way too much space.

And yes @bcla it was AO Sept before the Clear Care. I think same style of cleaning, so that's the only style I know.

 

[bcla]

Thanks everyone! I ordered the Biotrue, 4 pack so I will be set for numerous trips. I'm not worried about taking it as a carry on. Just in general I have one large bag for toiletries in my suitcase and the normal size bottle of Clear Care takes up way too much space.

And yes @bcla it was AO Sept before the Clear Care. I think same style of cleaning, so that's the only style I know.

I remember the commercials for it before I started wearing contacts. When I finally started wearing contacts, I started off with chemical disinfection, but an eye doc recommended AOSept. It was fine other than having to keep the neutralizing cup upright, or it would spew the disinfectant out the vents if tipped over while the bubbles were still generating pressure. I think some wearers (using AOSept or ClearCare) who might take them out during the day might just toss them in a standard contact lens case with saline and take care of the disinfection later.

The disinfection is nearly instant, but i's the neutralization (with platinum) that takes 6 hours.

All the name changes and acquisitions are kind of confusing to me. Back when I was wearing, it was Allergan, Ciba, Bauch & Lomb, and Alcon.

 

[EACarlson]

I wear the Night&Day contacts that I usually take out about once a week. I carry a travel sized Opti-Free Pure Moist for the rare occasions I take my contacts out away from home.

 

[Jml813]

Check w your optometrist. Mine still has the small bottles that they give complementary to patients and that's what I use when I travel.

I also keep a bottle of saline because I had an issue once with a lens that didn't neutralize and it hurt like the dickens.

 

[goofyernmost]

If your lenses allow you to wear them 24/7 then just keep them in. That, said, however they sell, usually were those small samples are kept, a number of empty plastic storage bottles that you can transfer the solution into. I used to just keep my contact storage thing filled with saline when I had my lenses in so I would have it with me, in my pocket when I was out in the parks.

Just in case, something happens that I had to take them out. As a backup you can buy sterile eye drops and can act as an emergency backup.

 

[justafigment27]

I bought two travel sized bottles online at an incredible markup well over a year ago, but haven’t seen any since. I used the last one up in May and recently refilled it for a weekend trip. I hate refilling it though because it doesn’t feel too sterile … I washed my hands and wiped down my lid popping tool and work space with 70% Isopropyl alcohol before I started, but it still felt iffy.

I have tried three other brands, but they all leave my eyes feeling dry.

I’ve read that people in Canada have had a hard time getting Clear Care in general, but read a story of someone recently finding the two pack with included travel size at a Canadian Costco. So I’m hoping travel size shows up again soon.