Lens case cleaning away from home...

[Lynn White]

Hi Anna

Washing a case with saline is fine but if you are travelling, that means extra bottles to carry around, so boiled water is a good substitute.

Gareth, before people get the wrong idea about your package, yes those lenses are fine to use.....

Case hygiene is very important. If you keep using the same case for long periods of time, it accumulates bacteria on the outside surface so that even if you wash your hands before inserting lenses, your fingers are immediately contaminated as soon as you open your case. This is why it is important to wash the case regularly.

Most people keep lens cases in bathrooms which actually tend not to be the cleanest of places. Apart from anything else, if people use various deodorant or hair sprays in the bathroom, these can contaminate cases. Also, if you do clean the bathroom a lot, then cleaning materials can transfer from taps and surfaces to your fingers and from there to the case and even the lens.

Slightly off topic:
I once had to act as a detective when a patient kept complaining her new lenses were clouding over. I replaced them several times but it kept happening - the surface looked as if it was faulty. We eventually worked out that she always used the bathroom after her son who had started using massive amounts of deodorant from a spray can. When she went in there, there was still clouds of it in the atmosphere and over the surfaces of the sink. It transferred to the case and also directly to the surface of the lenses in eye from the air. Once she started using the bathroom BEFORE her son, the problem went away!

While I am on this subject (and have just gone on about hygiene in another thread) if any of you are piggy backing and tend to carry spare disposables around in pockets or handbags..... it doesn't matter how clean your hands are if the packaging is thoroughly contaminated. Disposable packaging should be treated with the same respect as a lens case or you will simply transfer bacteria from the package into your eye.

Lynn

[Anna Mason]

Brilliant as ever Lynne I must admit giving my best friend a Bdhdhdfhflldhjdhdjding when I was working her horse and discovered a spare lens case in the tack room it was gross and I did say if you dont chuck that I will.

[Anna Mason]

While we are on the subject I think I may give her a good talking to as I suspect her lens hygeine may be up the creak.