EyeWitness Summer 2010 - 25

Per the package insert for Simplus, it is a sterile, aqueous, buffered solution that contains poloxamine, hydroxyalkylphosphonate, boric acid, sodium borate, sodium chloride, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, Glucam and preserved with chlorhexidine gluconate (0.003%), polyaminopropyl biguanide (0.0005%). Per the package insert, Opti-Free Gp Multi-Purpose Solution is a proprietary sterile, aqueous solution buffered to approximate the Ph and tonicity of the eye. It contains hydroxypropyl guar, a proprietary wetting/conditioning polymer system, polyethylene glycol, tetronic 1304*, boric acid, propylene Glycol, and is preserved with Polyquad (polyquaternium-1) 0.0011%, and edetate disodium 0.01%. Both of these solutions recommend the following steps when caring for lenses: 1. With clean hands place the lens in the palm of the hand, apply enough solution to rub both the front and back . 2. Rinse the lens with additional GP solution 3. In a clean dry case place enough GP solution to cover the lens in solution, both front and back surface 4. Remove the lens from the case after a recommended soaking time, and rinse the lenses with fresh solution from the bottle With no separate surfactant cleaner to better remove protein deposits, Boston and Alcon have additional enzyme cleaners that can be added directly to the storage solution in the case. These enzymatic solutions are in pre-mixed containers and easy to use for better compliance. Boston has gone to one use vials for even greater convenience. Enzyme has no direct or adverse effects on the GP lens surface because it only reacts with protein on the surface. Enzyme cleaning can be done as little as once a week or as often as daily, if needed. Depending on the exact make up of the GP material, you may find it necessary to recommend enzyme more often on one type of material than another. Silicone acrylate lenses will tend to attract protein quicker than a flourosilicone acrylate lens. You may also notice that as the silicone content of materials increase, so does the propensity for the collection of deposits on the surface.

with dry eyes and patients with extreme allergy issues can have compromised tear film consistency. Lipids are meant to be clear and vegetable oil like in consistency and float on the surface of the tears. As an example, with age or allergy issues the consistency of the lipids can become more like “Crisco” than vegetable oil. With this change in consistency they have a greater propensity to adhere to the lens surface and can become more difficult to remove. Rubbing lenses with a separate surfactant daily cleaner removes deposits better than rubbing with storage solution alone. Lipids, proteins, and calcium form a very strong molecular bond on the surface of lenses. If left on the surface too long, they become very difficult to remove. Sometimes it is difficult to remove the deposits left on the surface of the lens too long even with polishing techniques. If a small amount of deposits are left on the lens surface when stored away, then the opportunity for more to attach and adhere to each other on the lens surface can occur rapidly (within a few hours) until the lens is completely coated. Complete removal of these deposits daily is very important to provide lens comfort and vision. Boston offers a separate daily cleaner to better clean the deposits from the lens surface. The Boston® Cleaner contains a surfactant feature as well as an abrasive quality and is available in an original formula or as Boston Advance® Cleaner. It is important to note that after using an abrasive cleaner it is recommended to soak the lenses in the conditioning solution for a minimum of 4 hours to insure proper surface wetting. The Boston® One Step Liquid Enzymatic Cleaner, in its pre-mixed (unit dosage delivered) can also be added to the storage solution if needed. Optimum, by Lobob®, has a daily cleaner that is nonabrasive. The cleaner combines surfactant/emulsifying action. The non-abrasive surfactant portion of the cleaner loosens the deposits from the surface when digitally cleaning the lens, while benzol alcohol begins the emulsifying action that is completed by the

Multiple Solution Systems
Multiple solutions with multiple steps require more time and effort to be compliant. Just like most things in life, the more steps taken to care for something the better the results. Lens care is no exception to this idea. Proteins, lipids and calcium exist in the tear film, and all have the affinity to adhere to the lens surface. Patients
*tetronic is a registered trademark of Basf.
EyEWitnEss summEr 2010 | c o n ta c t l e n s s o c i e t y o f a m e r i c a | w w w. c l s a . i n f o

EyeWitness Summer 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of EyeWitness Summer 2010