Contact lens care solutions are quite different in terms of their chemistry, effectiveness, and compatibility with various contact lens materials. “Store brand” solutions are NOT generic equivalents of the doctor prescribed branded solutions. They typically are older, outdated technologies with poorer cleaning, disinfecting, and comfort properties. Chain stores that private label contact lens solutions are now purposefully confusing the consumer to think that they are actual generic equivalents to brand name solutions. Proper selection and use of contact lens care products is a critical element that contributes to health and successful contact lens wear.The greatest fear people have about wearing contact lenses typically is of suffering a vision threatening eye infection with a risk of permanent vision loss. With proper lens fitting, ongoing professional eye care services, and appropriate cleaning / disinfection / and hygiene contact lenses can be one of the most wonderful methods of vision correction available while providing high degrees of eye health safety.
Unfortunately, many contact lens wearers increase their risk for eye infections by improperly caring for their lenses.One of the most common misconceptions is that all contact lens solutions are equivalent and that using less expensive “store brand” solutions are just as safe and effective as using the doctor prescribed care system. Hopefully we can educate our readers about the differences between store brand and prescribed solutions. Typically the store brand solutions are older and less effective products that no longer are considered as the “state of the art” in lens care comfort, efficacy, and safety. The manufacturers however still produce these outdated solutions since the large chain stores are interested in private labeling them as their store brand so that they can sell the solutions at a competitively lower price. Often these solutions are not as effective in disinfection and killing of bacteria and other microorganisms. They have older technologies that do not clean the lenses as well, and often are not as comfortable for wear when lenses are stored in them. Most importantly, new research has shown that newer contact lens materials (i.e. the plastics that the lenses are made of) are not compatible with many of the older solutions used in store brands. The result of the use of these solutions with the newer contact lens materials is irritation of the surface of the eye (the cornea) which often causes decreased comfortable wearing time, chronic irritation symptoms, dry symptoms, redness, and potentially increased risk for infection.
How is the patient /consumer supposed to know if the store brand is compatible with their lenses? The only way would be to bring a sample of the solution bottle to their eye doctor so that the ingredients could be read off of the label. To make matters worse, store brand solutions often change the manufacturer they use to provide the solutions yet they keep their bottle appearance consistent. In essence, one could be using one type of solution at a given point in time, only to be followed by a totally different solution when the person purchases the next supply even though the bottle and name of the store brand solution appears exactly the same! To add insult to injury, some stores are purposely confusing the consumer by trying to mimic the appearance of brand name laboratory solutions in terms of the color and packaging. This makes the consumer think that they are purchasing a generic equivalent of the true brand product. Nothing could be further from the truth! They share nothing in common from a chemistry point of view.
For excellent suggestions on the care of contact lenses, we suggest you visit the following FDA website:
Contact lens care solutions are quite different in terms of their chemistry, effectiveness, and compatibility with various contact lens materials. “Store brand” solutions are NOT generic equivalents of the doctor prescribed branded solutions. They typically are older, outdated technologies with poorer cleaning, disinfecting, and comfort properties. Chain stores that private label contact lens solutions are now purposefully confusing the consumer to think that they are actual generic equivalents to brand name solutions. Proper selection and use of contact lens care products is a critical element that contributes to health and successful contact lens wear.The greatest fear people have about wearing contact lenses typically is of suffering a vision threatening eye infection with a risk of permanent vision loss. With proper lens fitting, ongoing professional eye care services, and appropriate cleaning / disinfection / and hygiene contact lenses can be one of the most wonderful methods of vision correction available while providing high degrees of eye health safety.
Unfortunately, many contact lens wearers increase their risk for eye infections by improperly caring for their lenses.One of the most common misconceptions is that all contact lens solutions are equivalent and that using less expensive “store brand” solutions are just as safe and effective as using the doctor prescribed care system. Hopefully we can educate our readers about the differences between store brand and prescribed solutions. Typically the store brand solutions are older and less effective products that no longer are considered as the “state of the art” in lens care comfort, efficacy, and safety. The manufacturers however still produce these outdated solutions since the large chain stores are interested in private labeling them as their store brand so that they can sell the solutions at a competitively lower price. Often these solutions are not as effective in disinfection and killing of bacteria and other microorganisms. They have older technologies that do not clean the lenses as well, and often are not as comfortable for wear when lenses are stored in them. Most importantly, new research has shown that newer contact lens materials (i.e. the plastics that the lenses are made of) are not compatible with many of the older solutions used in store brands. The result of the use of these solutions with the newer contact lens materials is irritation of the surface of the eye (the cornea) which often causes decreased comfortable wearing time, chronic irritation symptoms, dry symptoms, redness, and potentially increased risk for infection.
How is the patient /consumer supposed to know if the store brand is compatible with their lenses? The only way would be to bring a sample of the solution bottle to their eye doctor so that the ingredients could be read off of the label. To make matters worse, store brand solutions often change the manufacturer they use to provide the solutions yet they keep their bottle appearance consistent. In essence, one could be using one type of solution at a given point in time, only to be followed by a totally different solution when the person purchases the next supply even though the bottle and name of the store brand solution appears exactly the same! To add insult to injury, some stores are purposely confusing the consumer by trying to mimic the appearance of brand name laboratory solutions in terms of the color and packaging. This makes the consumer think that they are purchasing a generic equivalent of the true brand product. Nothing could be further from the truth! They share nothing in common from a chemistry point of view.
For excellent suggestions on the care of contact lenses, we suggest you visit the following FDA website: