UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Does anyone use these?

When I first got RGP lenses back in 1990 or whatever I used to use these very week without fail. I asked my optician about them recently and he says that with new solutions then they weren't really required - is this the case.

I any case I thought I'd try them and have just bought some from Tesco. I used to have some small plastic containers to use them in but the new packaging suggests just putting one is an ordinary lens case - is this ok?

Can I do any harm to my lenses with these?

I use the protein remover tablets from Tesco; I put one of these in the crucible of my contact lens case and top up with saline.

Maybe it isn't entirely necessary, but it does help.

Andrew

i think i'll give it a try.

The lenses I have are about 6 months old - when I first got them they were great but over the last few week have started feeling a little "grubby" as the day goes on!

When I had my RGP's I had to use a protein remover without fail despite the lens cleaning solutions suggesting it was unnecessary.

Once Bausch and Lomb stopped making their protein removal tablets (Iassume they stopped making them as I can no longer get them) I started using the Boots own brand ones which came with a case for cleaning the lenses which meant I could give my normal lens cases and extra thorough clean up.

I have seen some reports that suggest that people with KC produce more protein in their tears that coats the lenses compared to a contact lens wearer without KC.

I wear rigid gas permeable lenses which I clean daily with regular cleaning fluid. I store my lenses in the same brand wetting and soaking fluid. I get this stuff online.

Once a week I soak my lenses overnight in saline in which I have disolved a protein remover tablet. Sometimes I use the ones from Tesco and sometimes from Noots. It just depends on which shop I visit when I am getting near to needing new tabs. I am following the advice of my optometrist.

AJ

I've been wearing scleral lenses - first PMMA, and RGP since about 1991 - and have never used, or even seen, a protein removal tablet in all that time.
The hospital periodically remark on how clean my lenses are.
possibly I have an atypical metabolism.
Rosemary

I have never understood the science behind this, but scleral lenses seem not to need protein removal.

Andrew

Personally, I have found using a good cleaner is more affective than protein tablets which I used for years.

I have recently moved to using Miraflow and have seen a big difference. The lens actually seems to shine more!

It is hard to get though in the shops, but try online at Post Optics. Moorfields also sell it at £3 in their Pharmacy.

With my Sclerals I also use the Miraflow as they cleaner but do make sure whatever you use it with, give it a really good rinse off afterwards.

Re: Sclerals and protein tablets. Good question. I have a check up in a couple of weeks for my Scerals and, unless it gets answered here first, will ask. Having said that, I was told that Miraflow + Solution was far better than protein tablet plus solution by said gentlemen at the hospital. I must admit, I did find that the case when I was wearing my RGP so he may have been right.

I can think of two possible reasons for sclerals not getting so much protein build up as corneal lenses:
1. sclerals are stored dry. And so are not subject to conditions of permanent etness as with corneal lenses stored in solution in their case. Being kept wet all the time may be one thing that lends to deposits building up.
Or possibly, just the act of wiping them dry helps to disrupt build up.
2. because most people's sclerals fit clear of the cornea itself, maybe they don't stimulate the eye to produce so much of the sort of proteins that get built up as might a corneal lens whose edges rub on the cornea itself.
Incidentally, I find with my RGP sclerals that I get far less of that sticky goo stuff than I did in the days when sclerals were made of Perspex (PMMA). I presume that's because more oxygen gets to the surface of the eye. HOwever, despite less gooey stuff, I need to clean the RGP sclerals before each time I bput them in, rather than "periodically" as with the old perspex ones.
Rosemary