Hydrogen Peroxide Contact Lens Solution — Is It For You?

When it comes to cleaning your contact lenses, there are more options than your typical 'rub & rinse' cleaning solution (also known as multi-purpose solutions or MPS) such as Opti-Free, ReNu, Complete, Biotrue, etc. Some lesser known options are hydrogen peroxide contact lens solutions such as Clear Care and PeroxiClear (evidently, market research found the term 'clear' to be favorable for these product names).

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Medical disclaimer: I am not a doctor and this article is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You are not being prescribed contact lens solution on this page. Please read Contacts Advice Terms of Use before continuing.

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What Are Hydrogen Peroxide Based Solutions?

They serve the exact same purpose as your typical multi-purpose solutions. They clean and disinfect your contact lenses so you can safely reuse them the next day.

The primary disinfecting agent in these solutions is 3% hydrogen peroxide. Yes, this is the same ingredient as in 3% hydrogen peroxide topical solution that we commonly use to disinfect cuts — and no, do not use that to clean your contact lenses instead! Though 3% hydrogen peroxide is the main ingredient in products such as Clear Care and PeroxiClear, it is not the only ingredient. Furthermore, the hydrogen peroxide must be neutralized before the contacts can go back in your eyes, which is done through the specialized cases that come with these products.

How Do You Use Them?

You use them a little differently than the multi-purpose solutions. First and foremost, you must never allow the solution in the bottle to come into direct contact with your eyes. The solution must be neutralized first.

Neutralization is achieved by using the specialized case that comes with your bottle of solution. The case resembles a little plastic cylindrical vial with a twist-off cap. Attached to the cap are little fold-down baskets for your contact lenses, and the neutralizing block. To use a hydrogen peroxide based solution:

• Unscrew the cap and lower the basket labelled right (or left).
• Remove your right (or left) contact lens and place it in the basket. Center the lens as best as possible to avoid damaging it.
• Repeat the above steps for your other contact lens.
• Fill the plastic vial with your hydrogen peroxide solution up to the indicator line.
• Insert the cap back into the vial and twist until securely in position. (At this stage it is normal to see bubbles forming inside the vial.)
• Wait 6 hours before opening the case again.
• After six hours, the hydrogen peroxide has been neutralized to a basic saline solution and it is safe to contact the eyes.
• Twist off the cap and insert your lenses. It is OK to use the neutralized solution to rinse your contacts.
• Once both lenses are inserted, dump the remaining solution out and allow the case to dry in a safe, clean place (cap and vial apart).
• Repeat the process the next time you remove your lenses.

I strongly recommend that you inform everyone in your household that these are not regular contact lens cleaning solutions and must never come into contact with their eyes. I have heard many people tell me that their brother or sister ran out of their contact lens solution and picked up a bottle of Clear Care thinking it was just another MPS — and gave themselves a pretty painful chemical burn on the eye.

Advantages and Disadvantages

The advantage is that it cleans and disinfects better than regular solutions, and its effectiveness does not rely on how well and how long you rub your lenses. And since you don't have to rub your lenses, it is quicker to put them away at the end of the day. You simply take them out of your eye and put them into the case.

The disadvantages are that once you put your lenses away, you cannot re-wear them for at least 6 hours. For most people this is not a problem because they put them away at night and only re-use in the morning. But it makes taking them off and putting them back in throughout the day pretty difficult. And secondly, they are a little more expensive than regular solutions.

What Brands Are Out There?

As I've previously mentioned, there are two leading brands for products like this. The first one is Clear Care by Alcon, which has been around since the early 2000s, and the second one is PeroxiClear by Bausch & Lomb, which launched in 2014.

What are the differences between them? Not much in my opinion. However, PeroxiClear does boast a 4-hour neutralizing time versus Clear Care's 6 hours. Either one will work fine for all contact lens brands (except daily lenses).

PeroxiClear:

• Kills 99.9% of germs
• Ready in only 4 hours
• Helps lenses retain moisture up to 20 hours

Clear Care:

• Uses exclusive HydraGlyde® for longer lasting moisture
• No preservative (no harsh chemicals)
• Triple Action cleaning (you can see it working)

Personally, I used to use Clear Care when I wore contact lenses. Not that I had anything against PeroxiClear, it just hadn't hit the market when I was still wearing contacts. I had my LASIK surgery the same year PeroxiClear was launched.

If you are new to contact lenses, it is good to know how to use regular cleaning solutions as well as hydrogen peroxide based solutions. But once you've used regular solution long enough and got the hang of it, try switching to a hydrogen peroxide based solution under the guidance of your eye doctor. They can offer a better and more consistent cleaning every time. In the end, this makes the contacts safer and more comfortable.