DO NOT use all-purpose or saline for dry eyes!

[DougLassiter]

Just a reminder to folks. DO NOT use multipurpose or saline solution for dry eyes. I have strong astigmatism in one eye. That eye is often dry, so the contact lens has trouble orienting. When that first happened, I repeatedly irrigated the eye with multi-purpose and saline to lubricate (hey, I have loads of the stuff!), and the contact lens floated into orientation, but then very soon got stuck wrong. This happened over and over. On research, I have learned that multi-purpose and saline will wet an eye in a very temporary way. They are not lubricants, and are to some degree anti-lubricants. Real tears have vastly better lubricants, and multi-purpose and saline solutions actually suppress tear formation. I started using a real rewetting solution (lots more expensive) and the problem is fixed. Real rewetting solutions are formulated to be more like tears and are VASTLY better at doing lubrication. Yes, these solutions are advertised as such, but I was suspecting that was just marketing for pricey fluids. Nope. They really work. Lesson learned.

[Ron_AKA]

Here is a good article on selecting eye drops.

https://www.drmikeng.com/new-blog/2020/3/4/comparing-preservative-free-eye-drop-products-in-canada

I use the HyraSense Advanced drops which have 0.15% Hyaluronic acid (HA). It seems to work well with and without contacts. Price is reasonable at Costco.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[DougLassiter]

Well, I don't do Costco, and the price for this stuff at Amazon is ridiculous. $20 for 10ml??? I'm using Refresh Contacts, which seems to work pretty well, and is $7 for 10ml.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[Ron_AKA]

At our Costco in Canada the HydraSense Advanced is $24 for three 10 ml containers. A few dollars less when there is a coupon for it. My wife insists on using HYLO drops which are at 0.10% HA. $37 at Costco for 10 ml! Now that is in the really ridiculous category...

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[DougLassiter]

Curiously, amazon.com has 1x10ml for $18.45 and amazon.ca has 2x20ml for $25. Lots cheaper. HydraSense is a Canadian outfit, so that may explain it.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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