Clear Care contact lens solution

[CoffeeGoat]

Made an exciting discovery this week that I hope no one else ever gets to experience. I use clear care contact lens solution which is hydrogen peroxide based and uses a catalyst to neutralizes the peroxide. It's supposed to be done in 6 hours. There is a little warning on the side of the box about not using it below 60 f, but of course, I hadn't read it.

Normally I don't pull my contacts at all in the backcountry but we were camping at a KOA near yellowstone so I did my normal contact lens thing and left them on the picnic table overnight (it was in the 30s overnight). Popped them both in the next morning and they were immediately uncomfortable, I just figured it was because they were cold, but as the eye drops dissipated, the burning got horrendous really quick. I scrambled to pull them out but it took roughly six hours for the redness and discomfort to go away. Not a huge deal at a KOA, and I had glasses as back up, but this could be very bad in the backcountry, particularly if you're more blind than me.

Turns out the low temperature slowed the neutralization reaction and there was still plenty of peroxide left to burn my eyes. Lesson learned, follow the directions for temperature - and check in the morning for an active reaction before you put them in your eyes. Or just use a different solution, or don't pull than at all in the back country...

 

[Swamp Fox]

Good info.

 

[Chuckybmd]

Yeah, conventional contact solutions have caused me to have a lot of redness problems. The hydrogen peroxide solutions are about the only ones at work. I am acutely and painfully aware of the side effects of putting them in when they have an adequately neutralized. Still glad to have a contact lens solution that works. But have had similar problems in the past.

 

[Seth]

I know your pain. I switched to dailies for most uses and don’t have that concern anymore. Its also nice to know that of I lose or tear one while out, I have spares.

 

[Traveler]

I have used Bausch&lomb Renu without issues, spike and wall tents, 10,500 ft. In agreement on reading the labels and staying in specs

 

[Jskaanland]

I use clear care as well. I learned the same lesson a couple years ago. I keep a normal case and contact solution now just for such occasions.

 

[7mm-08]

Exciting discovery, indeed. Glad you're alright after that little hiccup, which could have been a life changer.

 

[Yoder]

I've used that for years and I had no idea.

 

[BLJ]

I made the mistake of rinsing with the cleaning solution instead of the saline one time.

I repeat, “one time”.

 

[CoffeeGoat]

I think you could probably keep the container inside your sleeping bag and have it work fine and I've used it below the recommended temperature before, but this was certainly another level of unpleasant. It took roughly a full 24 hours before the solution quite bubbling at the temperatures we were seeing (30-50 F).

 

[Bowhuntone]

You can also get dailies for the length of your hunt from your optometrist that is my recommendation and not just for cold weather. Try 2 weeks of NM dust in your eyes and regular contacts start to feel like sandpaper no matter how you clean them.

 

[5MilesBack]

I've always used the Opti-Free Replenish and just cover the lenses with it and then put the lenses back in in the morning......at home or hunting.

 

[johnsd16]

I use clear care as I had an anterior chamber infection years ago due to a lens maintenance indiscretion with non-peroxide stuff. Yes, cold temps and elevation can both slow the reaction so mine go inside my sleeping bag or real close to the stove when hunting.

Similar but different experience at Yellowstone a couple years back, thermacells wont stay lit, at least not the round patio ones, too high of elevation.

 

[Dust Rider]

It was 33 degrees Sunday morning in Gardner. It was nice to wake up this morning and see fresh snow on the peaks. Same as @5MilesBack, I use Opti-Free and take them out every night and soak.

 

[mxgust]

Daily disposable lenses come in 30 or 90 packs and at this point are available in most prescriptions. You can buy enough for hunting season or the summer and use the rest as backups. Once you try that it’s hard going back. Keeping them in your sleeping bag is a good idea no matter which modality you use. I feel you on the clear care, that’s a painful experience. I’ve gotten it into my eye before too. The clear care cases will also wear out, if you’re near the end of a bottle of solution it’s not a bad idea to switch to a new case if you’re heading out of town. They can sometimes become a little less effective and don’t neutralize everything fully

 

[Maverick1]

Made an exciting discovery this week that I hope no one else ever gets to experience. I use clear care contact lens solution which is hydrogen peroxide based and uses a catalyst to neutralizes the peroxide. It's supposed to be done in 6 hours. There is a little warning on the side of the box about not using it below 60 f, but of course, I hadn't read it.

Normally I don't pull my contacts at all in the backcountry but we were camping at a KOA near yellowstone so I did my normal contact lens thing and left them on the picnic table overnight (it was in the 30s overnight). Popped them both in the next morning and they were immediately uncomfortable, I just figured it was because they were cold, but as the eye drops dissipated, the burning got horrendous really quick. I scrambled to pull them out but it took roughly six hours for the redness and discomfort to go away. Not a huge deal at a KOA, and I had glasses as back up, but this could be very bad in the backcountry, particularly if you're more blind than me.

Turns out the low temperature slowed the neutralization reaction and there was still plenty of peroxide left to burn my eyes. Lesson learned, follow the directions for temperature - and check in the morning for an active reaction before you put them in your eyes. Or just use a different solution, or don't pull than at all in the back country...

I have used the clear care solution (and the crap-mart generic equivalent) for many years, and many times in colder temperatures. When it is supposed to get lower than 45 or so, I put them inside a Ziploc bag and keep them inside my sleeping bag. It works!