My favorite contact lens cleanser CIBAvision QuickCARE is suddenly unavailable in southern California. I’ve failed to find any online stores that sell it, either. Fortunately, my current supply will last a while longer. I’m looking for a substitute. (I intend to take a list of my preferred alternatives to my opthamologist, and get her approval before actually using a new cleanser.)
I love QuickCARE because it can clean lenses in a few minutes total. No four-hour soak needed at all. I’d like an alternative that offers a similar capability. But I haven’t been able to find one.
Does anyone here have suggestions? What cleanser do you use?
Was it discontinued because they realized it takes more than a few minutes to properly disinfect contact lenses? Try their Clear Care®; it takes six hours but you can soak your lenses while you sleep.
I don’t know why it was discontinued, but it is definitely effective. It was originally suggested to me by my opthamologist because the usual “soak for n hours” solution wasn’t working for me. Once I switched to the Quickcare, all my eye infection problems disappeared.
On my last check-up, she examined my lenses under a microscope and found them sufficiently clean. And that was after a full 30 days of wear (I wear my lenses for 30 days before replacing).
This is why I am hestitant to use the long-soak cleansers and am looking for a stronger/faster cleanser.
I’m sure my doctor will have her own suggestions. I was hoping to learn from others here so I’d be better informed (and have alternatives) when I talk with her.
Just for my own curiosity, could you expand a bit more on your wearing habits? You say you wear them for 30 days straight before replacing them. Does that mean they are in your eyes for a solid 30 days? I wear extended wear contacts, and I’m supposed to replace them every two weeks – and I do take them out for a day or two after about a week, soak them, replace them in my eyes, then wear them for a week to ten days (until they get uncomfortable) before discarding them.
I use Wal-mart’s generic Equate brand of Multi-Purpose solution to soak them in. I also use Equate rewetting drops as needed – just a drop or two in the eye, and I’m good for most of the day (I use the drops more frequently the longer the contacts have been in).
I wear my contacts for 10-14 hours each day. They soak overnight in the typical overnight cleanser. That has been insufficient in the past to prevent some mild eye infections (mostly a slightly itchy feeling and some redness).
In the morning, I use Quickcare to do a fast clean. It has an alcohol-based cleanser I rub with, and then a special rinser to neutralize the cleanser. I pop the contacts in and start the cycle again.
Each month I throw out my old pair an open a fresh pair. This regimen has been approved by my opthamologist and I have had no eye problems since starting it.