Boiled water alternative for saline??

[Golden Dragon]

Is it safe to use boiled water as a substitute for saline? This is water that has come from a mains tap rather than a cold water tank by the way. I know about the bacteria in tap water (acanth..???) that can do scary things to eyes. But will boiling water kill it?

Also, is scalding the lens case with boiling water a more effective method of cleaning than solution and rinsing with saline?

I'll carry on using saline if boiled water isn't safe of course before anyone warns me in dire tones about taking risks.

By the way one of the big drugstore chains here in England has discontinued selling saline and filled it's space on the shelves with novelty cosmetic contact lenses :hammer:

[chip anderson]

Boiled water is not a substitute for saline. Saline contains salt. Water will make the lenses swell.

Boiling water is not cleaning. It kills bacteria, the dirt, etc. remains. Scrubbing it out with soap and a brush cleans the case. Then it needs though rinsing and sterilizing.

Saline (not the contact lens variety) can be used as a substitute for plasma as it is as salty as red blood cells. If water is used, the red cells expand and explode. If I recall correctly this was learned at great expense of life in WWI.

Use the right stuff for the right job.

Chip

[SpecialT]

Agreed, don't substitute boiled water for saline. And don't substitute saline for cleaner. Sterile saline, while good for rinsing is not going to disinfect your contacts or case. To clean your case, I would recommend rinsing with multipurpose solution and air drying. Replace your case every three months.

[snowmonster]

Acanthamoeba is nearly impossible to kill. And saline shouldn't even be sold in stores. Some sort of multipurpose solution should be used at the very least.

-Steve

[Golden Dragon]

I don't think I phrased my question very well originally. I don't use saline on it's own to rinse my lens case. I rub it with contact lens cleaner (LC65) and then rinse this off with saline. As per instructions from my optician. My question was meant to be does boiling water kill this acanthamoeba bacteria? It seems not so hey, saline it is :) .

But why on earth shouldn't saline be sold in stores, snowboarder??? Right - so that I have to go an optician and get charged about 20% more for an identical (and already not exactly cheap) product, as I was recently when my store ran out. I suppose this is to provide advise to make sure no one buys the wrong solution but I'm sure the vast vast majority of contact wearers just buy what their optician advised originally. Would you also propose that say, household cleaning products, are sold in a special shop where a specially qualified person can determine that you are of stable enough mind not to drink bleach or oven cleaner?? Please credit us patients with some intelligence :hammer:

[chip anderson]

Dear GD:
Years ago we had patient's mixing thier own saline, there were problems, acanthomeba being one of the, patient's were theoreticly boiling the stuff. Then we had a problem with medical personel who would light finger hospital saline, the container was too large and once opened, it began growing black fungus after 3 days.

Dis windmill done been tilted and re-tilted at. You just arrived too late in the game to remember the war.

Chip

[snowmonster]

But why on earth shouldn't saline be sold in stores, snowboarder??? Right - so that I have to go an optician and get charged about 20% more for an identical (and already not exactly cheap) product, as I was recently when my store ran out. I suppose this is to provide advise to make sure no one buys the wrong solution but I'm sure the vast vast majority of contact wearers just buy what their optician advised originally. Would you also propose that say, household cleaning products, are sold in a special shop where a specially qualified person can determine that you are of stable enough mind not to drink bleach or oven cleaner?? Please credit us patients with some intelligence :hammer:

Allright, maybe things are a little different in the UK. Consider the fact that I don't sell contact lens solutions in my office. That's what stores are for. You can find even a generic multipurpose solution at nearly any store on the planet including most gas stations here in the US.

But again, your contacts should always be soaking in some sort of multipurpose solution that has some sort of bacteriostatic or bacteriocidal agent in it. Saline is cheap - that's the problem with it.

And uh - it's SnowMonster, btw... :finger: