Contact Lens Solution: Is there a difference?

What kind of solution do you use to clean and store your lenses?  Do you stick with a specific brand? Do you buy the generic that is sitting beside your usual brand on the shelf?  Do you just find whichever is on sale at the time you are buying them?

Contact lens multipurpose solutions are not all the same.  Each brand name solution is developed with its very own cleaners, disinfectants, conditioners and wetting agents.  It has been shown that generic formulations are actually older (often no longer available) versions of brand name products.  Most generic brands are the same formulation no matter which brand they are supposed to be the generic formula of.  Just because it is in a green box and placed next to the Optifree Replenish, does not mean it is the generic formula for Optifree.  In fact, there is no generic formula of Optifree Replenish.  This goes for several of the more common brands.

A recent study out of UCLA by Forister, Forister, Yeung, et al, compared ocular complications among contact lens wearers based on which solution they used.  They found a higher rate of lens induced complications among patients who used the generic solutions when compared to brand name products.

Your eyes are very important and need to be taken care of.  One of the easiest things you can do to minimize your risk is use the contact lens solution your doctor prescribes.