Sometimes, you may run out of contact lens solution when you really need to remove, clean, or store your contacts. In this condition, you can make contact solution at home to protect your lenses for some time, but you will eventually need to get the original solution for prolonged periods.
Generally used for topping up car batteries and steam irons, distilled water is easily available in hardware stores, supermarkets or auto centers. Distilled water is sterile and is therefore safe to use for contact lens solution.
You can find salt at any grocery store, but try to find iodine-free salt for the contact solution. Do not use sea salt or rock salt because they contain chemicals that may cause problems.
Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before making the solution. Use soaps that have antimicrobial essential oils added to them.
After you have washed your hands thoroughly, you should use a sterile container to mix water and salt. Add a liter of water and 9 g of salt to this container to make a saline solution. Be sure to mix the salt thoroughly.
Note: The solution is effective but you should use it in emergency only, and you should clean your contacts with regular contact solution before you wear them again.
How to make contact solution and can water be used as contact solution? Actually, you should not use tap water, distilled water, or bottled water as a substitute for your contact solution. There may be harmful microorganisms such as parasite in the water. They can contaminate and may even cling to your contact lenses. When you wear these contaminated lenses, you may have the risk of developing sight-threatening eye infections. Therefore, never use water as the contact solution.
Learning how to make contact solution enables you to store your contacts safely in emergency conditions. So you may wonder whether there are other alternatives to contact solution. Unfortunately, there are not. It is important to clean and store your lenses with disinfecting lens solutions before you wear them again.
Contact lens solutions have certain chemicals that can kill harmful microorganisms and prevent infections. That is the reason why you cannot find effective replacements for these solutions, especially considering the fact that improper cleaning of contact lenses increases your risk of developing microbial keratitis, ocular infection and other issues. So, be very careful about cleaning your lenses and ensure that you do not wear them while showering and swimming.
Learning how to make contact solution is helpful, but you should also pay attention to learn how to take care of your contacts. Here are some suggestions: