AO Sept Disinfecting Solution

**Dannette** · 01-25-2006, 01:38 PM

The AOSept disinfecting solution has all but disappeared off the store shelves; the weekly enzymatic tablets and the saline are still around, just no AOSept. Has it been discontinued, reformulated, lost in transit?

1. If they are no longer around for whatever reason, does anyone have any recommendations for replacement? I've always been pretty "Felix Ungerish" about keeping my contacts clean. These all in one and no rub just don't appeal to me.

2. If I'm stuck with the all in one's;is a store brand i.e. Target or WalMart any better or worse than the other brands?

Thanks for reading.

Dannette

**QDO1** · 01-25-2006, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Dannette

The AOSept disinfecting solution has all but disappeared off the store shelves; the weekly enzymatic tablets and the saline are still around, just no AOSept. Has it been discontinued, reformulated, lost in transit?

1. If they are no longer around for whatever reason, does anyone have any recommendations for replacement? I've always been pretty "Felix Ungerish" about keeping my contacts clean. These all in one and no rub just don't appeal to me.

2. If I'm stuck with the all in one's;is a store brand i.e. Target or WalMart any better or worse than the other brands?

Thanks for reading.

Dannette

look at Oxysept or 10-10. they might be marketed under different names in your country. a good practitioner will be able to recommend a peroxide alternative. you need to speak to a practitioner on this subject, because some of the other peroxide systems do not use the disk type neutralising system - you may need some instruction in the alternative systems

BTW LC65 which is in the oxysept falily of soloutions is an excelent cleaner for your rub procedure

**William Stacy O.D.** · 01-25-2006, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by Dannette

The AOSept disinfecting solution has all but disappeared off the store shelves; the weekly enzymatic tablets and the saline are still around, just no AOSept. Has it been discontinued, reformulated, lost in transit?

1. If they are no longer around for whatever reason, does anyone have any recommendations for replacement? I've always been pretty "Felix Ungerish" about keeping my contacts clean. These all in one and no rub just don't appeal to me.

2. If I'm stuck with the all in one's;is a store brand i.e. Target or WalMart any better or worse than the other brands?

Thanks for reading.

Dannette

Clear Care is Ciba's newer version of aosept; it's the same thing, plus you get a new case and disc each time, but minus the separate rinsing saline, so you have to use what's left in the case after the cycle to rinse, or get a separate saline rinse.

**drk** · 01-25-2006, 02:26 PM

The "AO Sept" system is gross overkill for disposable lenses (worn as disposable, that is!) so Dr.s have stopped recommending it. It is still the best system for custom and "conventional" lenses, but the marketshare is vanishingly small, thankfully.

"Clear Care" is the son of AO Sept, and, frankly, while it has it's upsides, it has it's downsides as well. But, you can "unbundle" and buy a surfactant cleaner (try Miraflow) and then some aerosol saline (various brands) and put the lenses in the "Clear Care" system, and have the same thing.

NO! "Store brand" multipurpose solutions are NOT as good as "brand names". Unlike antihistamines, etc., store brand MPS's are not "generic equivalents" of these patent-protected, proprietary, designer products. They are old, old formulations (and each year, Costco, whomever, will private-label the lowest bidder's old formula, ensuring a mystery solution) that the major laboratories, in their greed, just cannot bring themselves to taking off the market, enjoying an enduring revenue stream on their ugly stepchild, much to the detriment of all.

For crying out loud, I shop in grocery stores too! You save a total of about three bucks a year on crappy solutions that you slow-release out of your contacts into your eye on a daily basis. I guarantee I'm going to charge you a LOT more than three bucks when your eye turns all red! Not that there's anything wrong with me making a buck....:p

**Dannette** · 01-25-2006, 05:03 PM

As for as store brands, I've used AOSept exclusively for probably over 15 years; used another hydrogen peroxide with tablets before that. As a veteran contact lens wearer, I've worn hard lenses that were disinfected by heat before that. In 28 years of contact wear, I've only had 2 infections.

Ok, so it looks like Clear Care is a good one to try; I will look for it. My contacts are custom made, would love, love, love to be able to buy disposables, but am too near sighted & have too much astigmatism for that happy ending. I currently use Mira Flow easy rinse w/the AOSept system & replace cup & disc every 3 months.

Will the new cup & disk still be compatible w/the enzymatic cleaner?

Thanks,
Dannette

**William Stacy O.D.** · 01-25-2006, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Dannette

Will the new cup & disk still be compatible w/the enzymatic cleaner?
Thanks,
Dannette

Yes, they are exactly the same.

**Dannette** · 01-25-2006, 05:27 PM

Thank you so much Dr. Stacy, you've been very informative.

Dannette

**Pidge** · 02-12-2006, 02:17 AM

Just discovered this forum - been looking for days to see what happened to AO Sept.

Anyone know if there's any truth to the rumour that Ciba Vision is in financial trouble and/or bankrupt? I was told that by a pharmicist. All the local stores are out of all Ciba Vision products.

**QDO1** · 02-12-2006, 02:44 AM

Originally Posted by Pidge

Just discovered this forum - been looking for days to see what happened to AO Sept.

Anyone know if there's any truth to the rumour that Ciba Vision is in financial trouble and/or bankrupt? I was told that by a pharmicist. All the local stores are out of all Ciba Vision products.

Not that Im aware of

**chip anderson** · 02-12-2006, 08:39 AM

Ciba Vision is in the hands of beancounters, not opticians. One of the beancounters has found a cheaper way to package A~O Sept. Once they had the Ideal package with Lens~Plus Saline, Enzymatic Cleaner, Opticlean cleaner, and the case. Then they, after several cheapening stepts got it down where not saline (except that neutralized in the case) no cleaner, (but thier eye drop sample is included), only the A-O Sept (It with another name that excapes me at the moment) and the case with the nutralizing platinum element is furnished.

Samples are no longer furnished to the practioner to start patients with this.

Chip

**fjpod** · 02-12-2006, 09:50 AM

I could be wrong but I believe the reason AO Sept is no longer being promoted under it's original name is that Ciba (who bought the rights to AO Sept) has to pay a royalty for every bottle that they sell under that name. Hence, the name change to Pure Eyes and ClearCare. Remember, the AO stands for American Optical.

So, the cynical approach to this is the CL fitters were stuck with the job of converting patients to the other products so that Ciba could save money.

**mlm** · 02-13-2006, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by Pidge

Just discovered this forum - been looking for days to see what happened to AO Sept.

Anyone know if there's any truth to the rumour that Ciba Vision is in financial trouble and/or bankrupt? I was told that by a pharmicist. All the local stores are out of all Ciba Vision products.

In Canada, there was a problem at the production plant last fall. Someone used a non-sterile lubricant in one of the machinery. Production was shut down for about a month to clean out all the equipment. CibaVision restarted production last December, but Health Canada has put a moratorium on all product until the spring.

CibaVision Canada did do a redistribution of their existing product, so my rep tells me that Solocare Aqua and Clear Care (and the remainder of their product line I'm guessing) are guaranteed to be available at Superstore and Walmart.

**Pidge** · 02-13-2006, 06:43 PM

That makes sense. I'm surprised the pharmacist didn't know (or anyone at the drugstore I was at). I don't have a Wal-Mart locally, but if I'm out of town, I'll check it out.

**chip anderson** · 02-13-2006, 07:13 PM

A deep dark secret: AO Sept is 3% peroxide with 3% salt. I wouldn't want to tell you to roll your on....

**Dannette** · 02-14-2006, 09:21 AM

Chip, you are one of my favorite people on this board.

Dannette

**fjpod** · 02-14-2006, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by chip anderson

A deep dark secret: AO Sept is 3% peroxide with 3% salt. I wouldn't want to tell you to roll your on....

Incorrect. AO Sept is 3% hydrogen peroxide and 0.8% salt (ghee whiz, is that by weight or volume?). Normal saline is 0.9% salt. I'd be very cautious. Improper salt concentration can do just as much damage (pain, big pain due to hypo or hyper osmosis

) as being off a little on the peroxide...not to mention aseptic technique...and screwing up by forgetting that what's in the bottle should not go in your eye.

You can also make dynamite...take one part....:shiner:

**fjpod** · 02-14-2006, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by mlm

In Canada, there was a problem at the production plant last fall. Someone used a non-sterile lubricant in one of the machinery. Production was shut down for about a month to clean out all the equipment. CibaVision restarted production last December, but Health Canada has put a moratorium on all product until the spring.

CibaVision Canada did do a redistribution of their existing product, so my rep tells me that Solocare Aqua and Clear Care (and the remainder of their product line I'm guessing) are guaranteed to be available at Superstore and Walmart.

I hear you about the recent "shortage" of AO Sept, but Ciba made a decision a long time ago to "minimize" the brand name due to financial (royalty) issues.

**jeffw** · 03-08-2006, 03:07 PM

Clear Care, Aosept, Aquify... All the Ciba stuff has popped up on Ebay. It doesn't take people long to sniff out an opportunity and clean out their local Wal-Mart....

Here's a Clear Care search:

http://search.ebay.com/search/search...rclo=&saprchi=

**Dannette** · 03-08-2006, 03:15 PM

What do these people honestly think they are doing? They do that with kids toys too. I bought one bottle before I ran out of the original but I'll be in need of more soon. It's pretty scarce at WalMart in the SE too, may have to get it at some rediculous price at Walgreens or the grocery store. Not willing to give in to the Ebay opportunists at this time.

Dannette

**fvc2020** · 03-08-2006, 04:36 PM

I just spoke with Ciba and there was a manufactering problem with the ClearCare. It will be back on major selves(target, walmart etc)by mid April. Doctor offices can get samples and provide them to patient.

That's what's we're doing. Patient responds has been great

christina

**Pidge** · 03-08-2006, 05:54 PM

I hope Clear Care gets here soon because I don't know how much longer I can stand having pink eyes. Not red, bloodshot eyes - actually pink eyes. From using Opti-free Express. Turns the whites of my eyes pink.
Ebay looks tempting. All I can say is AO Sept never made me look like a space alien. Hopefully, Clear Care won't either.

**Dannette** · 03-09-2006, 09:44 AM

Yes, I've had problems with other express CL cleansers too. I'm currently using the new Ciba product and it is almost the same as the old. One change I did make was to drop the daily cleaner which I used for a while with the new product as someone on this thread suggested was possible, but it fizzed more than the old & my eyes were a little uncomfortable. So now I use the new Ciba as an all in one as it is marketed and rinse each lens for 5 seconds after placing on the dome and just insert my CL directly in my eyes after 6 or 8 hours. So far my contacts are clean and do not irritate my eyes.

Dannette

**chip anderson** · 03-09-2006, 10:01 AM

Please note: AO SEpt is a disinfecting (peroxide) solution. Not a cleaning solution. It does nothing to remove dirt and deposits. The best package Ciba ever had albeit for only a short time was Lens Plus Saline, AO Sept, Ultrazime (I think this was the name, it worked in AO Sept, and thier little cleaner (I forget the name) with micro-beads.

Was supplanted (according to Ciba) because practioners said thier customers were too dumb to learn and comply (translation: Practioners were too lazy to sit down and teach the patient how to use). Other rumors (probably true) were that Ciba found a cheaper way to do things.

Chip

**Dannette** · 03-09-2006, 10:11 AM

Chip,

Before the "Big Change" I used the Ciba cleaner, Ciba saline and the AOSept disenfecting solution w/cup. The Ciba cleaner & saline are no longer available. Do you recommend a cleaner and if so whose? I still use the ultrazyme weekly with the new product, but have dropped the cleaner as stated in previous post.

Will using the new formula according to the directions (rinse each lens 5 sec) and the ultrazyme keep my contacts clean? I change contacts every 3 months. Also I like to have saline around just in case (rinse a dropped lens or something). Are all salines the same? I currently have a store brand as a replacement for the CibaSoftwear.

Thank you for your input.

Dannette

**chip anderson** · 03-09-2006, 10:37 AM

I don't have hardly any faith in any no-rub cleaner/disinfection. I think these came out as a marketing gimmick and practioners as those described before.

Ultrazyme (and all enzymes for hard/soft/HGP) lenses is just to remove trace depsits that daily cleaning fails to remove. Not as a subsitute for daily cleaning.

Chip

Also note AO Sept and Clear care are just peroxide solutions that neutralize (convert to water) with salt added to make the conversion Saline as opposed to a near distilled water. A soft lens in water swells to larger than origional deminsions, a soft lens in a solution saltier than saline expands to larger than origional demensions (or at least most soft lenses, not sure about the silicone combinations).

In the past when a patient has contaminated softlenses with non-approved eye drops and the like, I have managed to purge these by alternate soakings in Hypersalty solutions and distilled water. (Not worth the trouble on inexpensive lenses).

Chip