How to store your contact lenses when you forgot your cleaning fluid?

Factual Questions
1

Inspired by this thread, I occasionally let the cleaning fluid run out or I would sleep out and forget to bring it along (before LASIK). I wonder, what would be the next best thing they can be stored in? A friend of mine used plain old tap water, but as someone in the linked thread pointed out that’s probably not the best idea.

2

You’re basically boned if you don’t have contact solution.

3

I occasionally resorted to using melted frost ice from a freezer or refrigerator ice compartment, which technically is distilled water. Lacks the salts and pH buffers though - not too comfy when you put them back in!

Switching to daily disposables was a big step forward, and LASIK even more so…

4

Regular tap water has always worked for me. It won’t clean or otherwise treat the lenses but at least they won’t be in your eyes all night and I’ve never suffered any harm. I wouldn’t do it for more than one night, though.

5

Once or twice I’ve made my own saline solution, which won’t disinfect or remove deposits, but at least doesn’t make my lenses painful to put in the next morning. Take 1 cup water, and add 1/8-1/4 teaspoon salt (different recipes online give different numbers, and I try to compromise.) Ideally, this would be distilled water, and non-iodized cooking (not table) salt, which doesn’t have stuff added to it to make it flow better, but if you’re making this stuff, you probably can’t afford to be picky about it.

6

Back in the day when I rinsed my lenses in the dissolved protein pills, I used distilled water. Might be Ok plain?

7

I’ve successfully used tap water, though as others point out it is somewhat uncomfortable. I don’t empty my lens case until the evening right before I take out my contacts. In the case that I did run out of solution I would reuse the solution from the night before. Is that terrible? Not more than one time though, I’d wear my glasses until I’d bought more. I definitely can’t afford to not try to salvage my contacts, they are quarterlies (3 mo. disposable) and correct for my astigmatism at a price.

8

Perrier would be better than tap water.