From the Field
Warning: Clear Care Contact Solution Will Sear Your Eyeballs
August 13th, 2009
A reasonably accurate portrayal of Clear Care’s punishing effects.
Update: Have You Burned Your Eyes With Clear Care Solution? Here’s Some Tips.
The following post makes light of my own eyeball-searing adventures at the hands of Clear Care this summer, but from the looks of my traffic logs there seems to be a number of folks that are finding this page after suffering the same fate. To make this more useful for those who might actually need the help, I’d like to offer the following tips:
Tip One—Start flushing your eye with water immediately. I neglected to do this for at least a few hours (it’s a long, painful story), but needless to say this was the first step in making my eye feel better. Putting your eyeball under a faucet is logistically awkward, so here’s what worked for me: Grab a juice glass (or dixie cup, or some other small vessel with an eye socket-sized opening) and get yourself to a sink. Turn on the faucet, lean forward over the basin, and fill up your glass. Rest the rim of the glass just below your eye socket, then tip the glass back like you’re giving your eyeball a drink (or a shot of liquor!). Try to keep the rim of the glass pressed around your eye so that it flows out slowly instead of just dumping water all over your face. Blink lots of times and try and look through the back of the glass (like you’re swimming underwater) as the water is running out of the cup to ensure maximum water coverage for your eyeball. Repeat this lots of times. I went through 2 gallons of water (I didn’t have running water I could use where I was) with a break in between each gallon so that my eye could naturally re-wet itself. Flushing with water will make your eye feel dry after a little while, so give yourself a break and then get back to it!
Tip Two—Take an anti-inflammatory to reduce swelling. When you dump Hydrogen Peroxide in your eye, it instantly starts to react and swell to fight off the nasty intrustion; this is what causes your vision to blur. Taking some aspirin or ibuprofen will help take some of that swelling down and will hopefully speed up your recovery.
Tip Three—If you’re still having trouble with blurred vision after 24-48 hours, it’s probably a good idea to see an ophthalmologist. Depending on the amount of exposure your eye had to the solution, you may have gotten a proper burning that should be treated with a localized steroid prescribed by an eye doctor. In my case, I completely thought the burning was thanks to some potent soap I had just washed my hands with. I valiantly (or stupidly) tried to stick it out for a minute before I realized the burning wasn’t going to stop and managed to pry the contact from my eye; needless to say, I needed the steroid. The prescribed steroid comes in the form of eye drops and after two days of use my eye was back on duty. Your mileage may vary, of course.
I hope those tips come in handy, and now…back to the original post:
Are you interested in protecting and preserving your ability to see things? Is adequate vision a priority for you and your future goals? Perhaps you’ve recently decided that looking at things with normally functioning eyeballs is a gift you’d rather not jeopardize.
Then you, my friend, should never purchase Clear Care products.
Clear Care is currently running a national (international?) scam in which they cleverly package and sell eyeball-searing acids as contact lens solution. Sure, it looks like harmlessly sterile saline solution; and yes, it’s sold right next to safe and similarly packaged products; oh, and did I mention it’s helpfully sold in travel sizes at a dollar less than other brands? Hell, who wouldn’t buy it! (Especially if you were on vacation, in a hurry to grab something at the supermarket, and blissfully unaware of the danger that lurks within.)
And that’s exactly how they get you. You’re travelling (Look! Travel-sized packaging!), you’re in a hurry (Just grab something cheap from the saline solution section!), and you’re conditioned to quickly assess marketing buzzwords to help you make purchasing decisions (Hey! “No-rub Solution” means it’s easy to use!). Moments later you’re walking to the check-out aisle with a squirt bottle filled with instant ocular destruction. This is my story, and this is precisely how I ended up filling my contact lens case with this corrosive chemical and, some hours later, burning the living hell out of my eyeball when I attempted to put in my contacts.
(Full disclosure: Clear Care does explicitly warn against using the product as a saline solution replacement. In fact, they describe many ways in which you are not supposed to use the product, nearly all of which I obliviously ignored because I am not in the habit of reading boxes in the dark at night when I’m on vacation. Besides, who makes flesh-destroying solutions that are even remotely associated with sensitive eye-parts, anyway?)
Thankfully, my eye is now on the mend, the vacation away from the city and my computer was fabulous, and it’s good to be back to writing despite having to dictate this post to my temporary secretary, Nadine. It’s hard to know what Clear Care’s end-game is at this stage, but heed my warning as an unwitting victim of their dasterdly ploy: The shit is stealthy and it will seriously fuck up your peepers.
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margaret
As a Clear Care user, I feel it important to point out that when used properly, Clear Care is a fantastic product. I tried wearing contacts a few years ago, but could hardly stand to have them in my eyes for more than a few hours, due to my allergies and the drying effects of my asthma meds.
Last year, I decided to give contacts another go. The eye doc gave me special contacts for nerdy eyes, and told me to use Clear Care solution. The combination of these two things has made contact wearing a billion times more comfortable for me.
That being said, I’m terribly sorry that you burned your eyes, and I agree that they could do a better job of separating the hydrogen peroxide solutions from the regular ones. Hope you recover quickly!
Chris
Even though you seem to be suggesting that Clear Care has a purpose beyond destroying their customers’ vision, you make a good case. To the average saline user, Clear Care has conjured the devil in a bottle. To those with “nerdy eyes” (awesome expression), they clearly provide a helpful solution—double entendre intended!
Nathan
At least that Gravatar is more accurate now. Life imitates the internet!
Perry Schiele
Clear Care is the bomb.. learn how to read the directions you retards who burn your eyes.. All eye products come with directions.. learn how to R E A D.
Edward
I found this link off Google. It’s a nice satiric blog. If I’m wrong about that, then you’re a bloody idiot :)
Clear care is the best solution for contact lenses, soft or RGP, hands down. The fact that you don’t have to rub has helped extend the life of my 2-week soft contacts to over a month. The comfort level of Clear Care is better than Boston, or Renu, or Optifree multipurpose solutions – I think it’s due to the lack of preservatives in Clear Care. In fact, whenever I use saline solution to chase off dust after neutralizing my contacts in Clear Care, they always feel a bit worse.
I’m lucky that I haven’t burned my eyes yet, but I read the instructions on the label, and I saw the obvious red tip on the bottle…
Chris
@Edward: I’m glad that you and others are giving Clear Care some props and snaps here because it obviously has some great benefits for regular users. The “red tip” indicator probably would have been the best defense had I known that this was code for “Don’t you dare put this in a normal contact lens case or in your eye.” But even as a contact lens user of more than 10 years, I hadn’t once come across this feature on a bottle of solution; I thought that it was perhaps part of Clear Care’s branding – “When it’s got a red tip, you know it’s CLEAR CARE QUALITY.”
There’s a learning curve involved for new users of Clear Care, and as Perry callously pointed out above, sometimes all you’ve got to do is read directions. So shame on me for not being thorough (I was on vacation! And in a hurry! And, and, and!), but shame on Clear Care’s packaging, too – I get at least a handful of hits every single day for this post because some other poor soul has suffered the same fate. Clearly representing their product and explicitly outlining the dangers with a visually striking label on the front of the box might hurt sales a little but it also might keep future customers from chemically burning their eyeballs. And that, in a nutshell, is my beef with Clear Care.
Thanks for giving me a moment to further articulate the point, Edward – I hope you’ll return to future posts and share more of your thoughts!
Josh
I just purchased this stuff last night because i had a $3 off coupon and gave it a try. My lenses now feel so much better than the regular solution after day 1. I get up every morning around 430am for work and after putting in my lens today, I could definitely tell a difference from the regular solutions and my eyes feel great. Clear care clearly states on the package to use the case provided. I to have never seen solution that provides a case either. So far after my first day using it, my eyes feel great. If it keeps on working like this, then Clear Care will be my preferred choice for solution.
Kristin
I purchased Clear Care thinking it was normal saline solution because it is packaged the same and stocked in the middle of the other saline solutions at Costco. Did I read the directions? No — I have been using saline 25 years and it didn’t even occur to me to read them. BIG MISTAKE!!! I rinsed my contact and put it in my eye and got immediate burning so bad it was extremely difficult to get out my contact. I rinsed my eye for 10 minutes then got in the shower to wash it out for another 10 minutes….drove to CVS for eyewash and washed them out another 10-15 minutees. Still in pain, I called the doctor who connected me with Poison Control. They said wash out for 15 minutes with water then close my eye for an hour to rest it. I did that. Now, 6 hours later it is still red, still burning, and feels like there is something in my eye everytime I blink. Now I get to drive 1/2 hour to the doctor and pay the $20 co-pay and probably another $10 presription fee for drops. I will definitely not be using this product……even if it is a great product when used correctly, it is not worth the risk of accidently picking it up to rinse a contact or to have a guest in my house accidently use it thinking it is saline. Clear Care has tons of warnings in red INSIDE on the sides of the box that has to opened flat to read them……I think they should do a better job of warning consumers of the danger of their product on the outside of the box — something to distinguish it from the saline on the market.
Nikki
I just so happen to completely agree with my friend Perry – he is the one who got me started with Clear Care, before that I was using Optifree Replenish and my contacts felt dirty all the time. And yes I DID READ THE DIRECTIONS!! 6 hours is all you need! Thanks PERRY!
Northrnlites
I have worn contacts for over 30 yrs. Yesterday I ran out of solution and went to my daughter’s bathroom to borrow some of hers. I grabbed a bottle of Clear Care from her drawer quickly browsed the front label where it said “No rub, Cleans, Disinfects” EXACTLY like the handful of different No rub brands of multi-solution I am used to. (sorry, I have never heard that a red tip somehow should have been known as some kind of “danger”). Next moment brought the most scorching pain I have ever felt (next to childbirth of course). NOWHERE on the front label does it state that you are NOT to put this solution in your eye! Very poor lableling and I for one am going to file a complaint with the FDA. I’m on day two now and eye is still in great pain. Went to Urgent Care last night and Dr. said no damage to Cornea, but I had a “chemical irritation”. If it’s not better in a day or two I’m to go to Opthmalogist. Having trouble getting work done and cannot wear contacts.
If anyone is starting a Class Action Suit against Clear Care – I’m in!
Northrnlites
I might add that the nurse at Urgent Care said she has seen more than a few patient’s that have also mistakenly put this product in their eyes. She too stated she has seen the labeling and finds it to be very poor.
I might point out that many of the posters here have used Clear Care for it’s intended purposes with good results-great for you! However, most were recommended the product by Dr’s or friends knowing specifically that it was an intended “cleaner only” and were well aware before they even “READ” the directions that this was not your usual multi-purpose solution that it very closely resembles. I think in all fairness you kind of had a “leg up on us”.
Kiv
Anyone who burns their eyes with Clear Care deserves to have their eyes burned. If you dump out the contents of a Clear Care box, see the wierd looking lens case inside, and STILL have no desire to read the box even after seeing the bright RED bottle tip, then that’ll be a lesson well learned.
I recommend “Hooked on Phonics” it worked exceptionally well for me many years ago.
Monk
I burned my eye severely this morning and I am not an idiot and I do not need hooked on phonics(as Kiv clearly DID). The fact is, with this packaging, it’s all too easy to mistake it for a regular bottle of saline. I’ve been using it for a month, but this morning for some reason, I just reverted to my old habit (25 years) of grabbing the bottle, rinsing my contact and putting in my eye. HUGE mistake. I screamed so badly my children thought I was dying. I was unable to even open my eye to remove my contact, all I could do was stand there screaming. My children ended up grabbing the right bottle of saline and pouring it into my eye for me until I could remove the contact. Now I am left with a throbbing, burning, blood red eyeball that I am rinsing with water every 5 minutes. I agree that Clear Care should package this product in a bottle that looks NOTHING like a regular saline solution, because this is a product that is consistently going to be used by GROGGY, VISION IMPAIRED people possibly in n environment void of sunlight, and that is a recipe for DISASTER!
Northrnlites
Update to my previous post – Ultimately within a week of the “chemical burn” to my eye, I developed a corneal ulcer. One of the two Opthomologists I saw said it would likely be directly related to the incident. The other wasn’t going to outwardly bash Ciba, but did say he sees many cases of burns caused by Clear Care. His quote “they have a great product, but don’t label packaging very well”. I went through anitbiotic drops, steriod drops and was unable to wear contacts for a couple weeks. Not to mention the 6 doctor visits for diagnosis and follow-up. I have reported Ciba and Clear care to the FDA and will be sending my bills in to Ciba. Not that I expect a company to stand behind the damage they cause by marketing a product in similar packaging to something it’s not. For Kiv and those on here spouting “hooked on phonics” and bashing the victims….Really? Is that all you have to do is read forums and hide behind your icons/made up names and bash people discussing real information with a purpose? Sad. You might want to find a hobby or a more positive outlook.
Martine
I have been wearing contacts for 30+ years and have used more than a dozen different solutions to rinse and store contact lenses. I did notice the case and did read the instructions but decided to use my old familiar case as it seemed easier than using the new and different case. I could simply not IMAGINE it would have the disastrous effect on my eyes! Next morning I experienced the same pain as described by other users.
If the case is compulsory, a clear warning mentioning THE CONSEQUENCES should one lose the case or use another one should have been clearly printed on the box and bottle. I bought a large supply of the solution when I was in New York City before returning to Kuwait where I live. I was too scared to experiment again and only now decided to find information on the internet prior to dumping the six bottles as it seems so wasteful to trow away 1 opened and 5 unopened bottles.
cory
I pulled off the eye burning too. Thinking that it was regular saline solution, I put it in my REGULAR lens case. The next day, I put one contact in and it burned.
Theres definitely some better way of labeling their product.
joy
We just went through this, a trip to the ER while on vacation, there should be a class action suit against Clean Clear due to faulty labeling, it should say Hydrogen Peroxide Solution clearly on the front label!
Smurph
Ouch! I bet none of you are engineers.
I had the same concern when my OD switched me to Clear Care.
Red Tip, read the instructions carefully – notice to not put it directly in your eye and only to use the case provided and with minimum soak of six hours. I only used it in the kitchen so I could segregate it from my saline bottle which is the exact same size and shape (sans the red tip).
Now I just wrap duct tape around the CC Bottle so I can’t mistake it for my saline.
My reason for being here is that I’m pretty sure I’m allergic to something associated with the Clear Care product. I know after the catalyst, which I believe is an iron oxide compound on the basket bottom, does its job all that should remain in the vile the next morning is water and oxygen. But still when I use it instead of the Alcon Replenish by the end of the day my eyes are red and irritated not so with the Alcon. (I know what you’re thinking, “SO DON’T USE IT!” But I’m trying to isolate an eye allergy and the Clear Care is one of my variables.)
Thomas E.
Just started using this product as the doc recommended trying the normal stuff first. Heck I thought it was weird with just the case and the solution. It was OK at best. After getting script and brand of lenses settled I asked about other solutions.
I actually used the precurser product back in the 80’s to this with same cage (minus the disc at the bottom) and you had to rinse the lenses yourself before putting them into your eyes. This Clean Care is fantastic. Simple version. The bottles I got have a read disc around the tip with warnings too. If you put this stuff in your eye or any product without looking into the label you did deserve it.
How could you miss it??? This stuff is serious and has to registered witht he FDA.
RTFL!!!
Smurph
Yup (see Smurph post above) I’m allergic to something in the Clear Care Solution.
I know after using properly and soaking the specified amount of time in the approved case there should only be water and oxygen left – still by the end of the day my eyes are irritated and my eyelids are puffy.
So you can actually be allergic to the stuff.
For the rest of you I hope you all recover fully and vow to start reading instructions from now on.
xylia
^^^by comparison of clear care and aosept disinfectant, we’re both allergic to: pluronic 17r4. symptoms are: severe pain (even with a good saline rinse) and conjunctivitis-like symptoms. this is actually common if y’all do a search on google.
i’m posting here because i’m livid about clear care. i have followed the instructions to a t, as well as giving my lenses a very good rinse with saline and i have experienced: burning, pain, redness and horrible discharge from this product and just about any other contact lens products on the market (not just ciba). now ciba wants to stop making it’s far superior products, aosept and miraflow (which is all i can use). this is disastrous for me. now i cant wear contacts. and they are ciba contacts. so pretty much, ciba is cutting their nose off despite their face.
Jacob
I ran out of solution last night ( I usually use opti-free solution) and I just grabbed my sisters solution like anyone else would. I have never had to do anything special with solution so I just used my old contact case. This morning I went to put in my contacts and it was like my eye was melting. Who would make such a horrible product. Ya I’m reading about all this labeling that is done, but if you were in my position would you really have noticed a red warning label or maybe just thought it was a design of the bottle. I honestly didnt even see the red label last night. I just grabbed the bottle and poured some in. I am worried about what will happen to my eye. When I put it in I couldnt get my eye open for a minute because it burnt so horribly. They need to be sued.
Nomadic Chick
I agree that the packaging is kinda unclear… I was lucky and got a lesson from my ophthalmologist.
1. Do not put Clear Care in your regular lens case. The one provided by the Clear Care package is composed of metal, which neutralizes the hydrogen peroxide.
2. When using the Clear Care lens case, do not put in your lenses unless it’s been at LEAST 6 hours. So soak them overnight while you’re sleeping. If you try to put them in before 6 hours, welcome to a burning cornea!
3.When putting in lenses and if you notice some obstruction or ya just wanna clean them, don’t use the Clear Care – use a saline solution. If you use Clear Care – your eyes will burn (like the others said here).
4. The reason Clear Care is good? The hydrogen peroxide kills any friggin bacteria sitting on your lenses.
I’m now a convertee to Clear Care, because I just recovered from the worst bacterial pink eye EVER. Imagine waking up to 7 days of swollen, red slits, constantly oozing yellow goo.
Somehow, bacteria got in my eyes. My mission is to never let bacteria in again. I’ll take bad reading skills, momentary eye-burning over that crap again.
So folks, the lesson with Clear Care. It works, but read the package instructions and if you feel that’s not concise totally complain to CC.
Jill Driscoll
I feel like a total idiot. I did exactly as described. Was traveling, ran to store, grabbed this box of ClearCare that was right there with the regular solutions I always buy, and boy….
This is the day after my blood-curdling eye-searing process. Just thought I would google and see if anyone had done anything similar. I actually hate it that anyone has, but I feel a titch relieved, too. I have been wearing contacts since I was in the 5th grade and I am now 46 years old. I have never had anything remotely related to this occur. I had no idea they made products to soak contact lenses in that would cause your cornea to bubble like a casserole.
So, thanks for the site. I just thought the red tip was fancy packaging. Oh, look, isn’t that cute. :P
Thanks for sharing, everyone.
Eric
36 hours ago I did the same as may here- used the ClearCare as I would normal saline w/ the same results. Tried to function but had to call the eye dr- when describing the symptons, she blurted out- “ClearCare, right?” Seems they are averaging 1 person/day w. this issue. They did the numbing drops and prescribed a vasaline like anti-biotic. Burning calmed down after 12 hours, light still huts, and red as heck after 36 hours…. I re-looked at the packaging and of course it’s my fault. Interesting though is that the eye dr supports this product but he puts all his customers thru a demo w/ all the “do not do this” issues. Bottom line- Packaging sucks on this product!
Michael
I’ve been using Clear Care for about 2 or 3 years now, and (usually) love it. However, for the 3rd time now in the past 6 months when I’ve put in my contacts after letting them soak in Clear Care for *OVER* 10 hours, my eyes started to burn like crazy and turn red. Just a few minutes ago this happened and I immediately took them out and put some Clear Eyes in my eye to soothe them and am also letting my contact lenses soak right now in some regular Opti-Free. This also happened for the 2nd time in 6 months yesterday and I just let them soak in the Opti-Free for a few minutes then put them in my eye with no real problems, just a little lingering eye burning for an hour or so. Has anyone else had this problem? I just don’t get it, because it only happens sometimes but each time has been when they’ve soaked for over 10 hours, sometimes even 14 or 16.
Karen
They need to put in HUGE BOLD RED letters that Clear Care needs to be used with their special case. I was not aware of this and burned my eyeballs. I don’t understand how they haven’t gotten more trouble. They need to be CLEAR about this. I don’t care how well it work if used properly, you can’t assume people will know how to use it. I bought a two pack and it did NOT come with their “special” case and my eyes burned so much, I actually cried. And I have a very high physical pain tolerance.
Doug
I just tried using Clear Care this morning and it burned the shit out of my eyes. The packaging on this product is terrible…they don’t tell you anything on the front, and you have to look inside or the back, and the directions seem like a fucking Einstein project. They should not mix this in with the other contact solutions and then need to put it behind the counter or something! Also there needs to be a warning sign or something on the front to tell you that this product of ass will burn your eyes if you try to use it like normal contact solution.
Because of this product I had one of the worst mornings in my entire life. Thanks Clear Care… you dirty asshole!!!
accidentalburning
I am intelligent I did not deserve this but accidents really do happen. I am however sort of inexperienced some of you people who have years of experience have accidents too. People who say we are stupid and need to read are mean and should realize accident means accident.. I am only one month into having contacts. I was given Opti clear with my trial pair but it was not good for these contacts. Friends told me about the Walmart brand I loved it, my eyes were clear no blurring or feeling like something rubbing in the eyes. Then another contact savvy friend told me about Clear Care for cleansing only. I did read the label completely, I did note the red tip different, I did hear my eye doc tell me it would burn if put in the eye. However I do like that it cleans and kills all bacteria however here lies my accident that I plan not to happen again: I was about to take out my contacts for their nightly soak and I had both bottles of solution on my table I was taught to put 1 drop of the Walmart solution in and then it makes it easier to get the contact out since it adheres to my eye pretty tight. I grabbed the bottle tipped it up and released 1 drop of immediate pain into my right eye. As the drop fell in I realized it was a red tip and knew what I had done. I could not open the eye but immediately ran to the sink and with a closed eye flushed my eye approx. 4-5 minutes. It still hurt so I got the Walmart solution and removed the contact then I got out Baush & Lomb eye wash solution and used the little eye cup to rinse for at least another 5 minutes. Still the eye felt like something was in it. Thinking maybe some makeup or something I kept poking and looking at my eye. I put in the walmart solution at least 3 times and also some Genteal lubricant eye gel the pain subsided but my eye became red and seemed swollen partially shut. I put in the gel before I went to bed and this morning my eye is still red and watering and I am not putting contacts today I hope this goes away by morning cause tomorrow is Monday gotta go to work and I work using a Computer all day. Yes it was a stupid mistake and like someone who wtote earlier I will sparate these 2 bottles somehow. People please be kind when writing these blogs thats why they are called accidents noone wants this to happen. I think that if the Clear care company wants to improve communication they should put a warning reallly big on the front of the label and maybe even change the shape of the plastic bottle to make it really noticible that it is different.
Monica
This post was extremely helpful! I too have made the idiotic mistake of using the Clear Care solution instead of the saline solution in the midst of rushing and not paying attention. I will NEVER do that again a trip to the ER has taught me a lesson. Overall Clear care are good products to use especially if you wear extended wear lens such as Night/Day contact lenses. Don’t keep your bottles next to each other when doing your daily maintenance care for your eye contacts.
Ashley
I had a similar situation. I went to the eye doctor, and the nurse put me in the room with my contacts case and said “use whatever solution you usually do”. Well, I should have listened, but instead i grabbed the first solution I saw.
Oops.
My doc was still in the room when I was putting my contacts back in and gasping in horror at the pain. He said “You used the red-tip solution, didn’t you?”
Well, lesson learned.
I had no choice but to use those contacts for the rest of the day, as I am blind without them and didn’t have backup glasses. By the end of the say I just sat down and sobbed from being so tired from the day of constant pain. I’ll never make that mistake again.
Mom
Well. I will most likely be giving my twenty-something daughter a ride to see an ophthalmologist today. From her phone call, it seems she did not use the special case. She has worn contacts for 14 years and has spent almost two years abroad without any problems with her contacts until now.
I think that Clear Care should be sold behind the pharmacy counter so that specific instructions will be given before it is sold. If Clear Care is such a great product, the company can spend some bucks to advertise that is can only be found behind the pharmacy counter.
Availability only behind the pharmacy counter sets it apart as the unique and potent product it is. Until consumers are acclimated to this change, a note may be place in the regular contact solution aisle advising that Clear Care is available behind the pharmacy counter.
In addition, the bottle should be given a unique shape to lessen the possibility that it will be mistakenly grabbed off of the bathroom shelf instead of a bottle of saline solution.
Luke
I was happy that the Clear Care product worked so well cleaning my contacts, and giving them much more wear life. I suggested that my wife should use it for her contacts. So being the good husband that I am, I grab a similar case (not the one provided with the metal disc) to the one issued by Clear Care and soaked her contacts in it. The next morning she put a contact in her eye and screamed bloody murder. She has be out of commission all day, and I fell like complete shit for doing this to her. I work in pharmaceutical packaging industry, and agree that is product is completely packaged and marketed improperly. This stuff needs to be behind the counter ASAP! I read the directions and used it properly, but time past and an accident happened. Too many accidents seem to be happening out there with this stuff! I will be sending an email to their corporate office tomorrow, to explain my discontent with their marketing and packaging efforts.
blurrymary
Accidents happen, yes. But come on people. Take responsibility for your bad judgement! Clear Care is an excellent product. I’ve been using it about a month and although I had the doctor’s warning, I READ THE DIRECTIONS! They are extremely clear. But then I’m not an idiot.
Liz
4 years ago I burnt my eyes and I complained to the pharmacist at Shoppers only to be shrugged off. This product lacks proper instruction. I will never use again.
oneeyejoe
I bought Clear Care about 6 months ago. I read the directions and decided it was too much hassle and stuck it at the top of the closet. In replacement, I got some of the good ‘ol squirt it anywhere including your eyeball solution. Well that solution finally ran out and at 11 PM and I fished around for something to rinse one of my lenses with. I grab a bottle from the top of the closet and read the front. “No Rub, No Rinse”. Cool, I thought, I have some stuff right here. ‘Hey, look the cap is red. Neat design’.
That was a couple of days ago. I can see out of that eye now with the help of some nifty drops. However, I do still have scratches on my eyelid from trying to claw my eyeball and contact out when it was clenched shut.
Richard
How many more warning labels do you morons need
a) the packaging has big red letters DO NOT PUT IN EYES
b) the bottle has a cardboard ring around the cap = DO NOT PUT IN EYES
c) The bottle labels says DO NOT PUT IN EYES
and if you still can’t read
d) The bottle cap IS RED
The packaging and bottle both say, don’t put it in your eyes, don’s use a normal case, let it sit for 6 hours, etc
Every single “The bottle didn’t say” comment in this thread is a complete LIE
Learn how to read, especially something you are putting INTO your body.
Italia
OMG.I’m an idiot. I also did not read the instructions and I am paying for it, BIG TIME! I bought this product thinking it was all-purpose, like Opti-Free. I have been wearing contacts forever, and never has this happened. I purchased Optrex Eye Wash, and popped a few advil, so I’m really hoping it gets better otherwise I will be making a trip to the doctor. (THANK GOD FOR CANADA’S EXCELLENT HEALTHCARE)
David McDavid
My girlfriend just had exactly the same thing happen to her eyes! DAMN CLEAR CARE! WTF!!! They really should clarify this!
Danielle
I’m on vacation, ran out of my solution and borrowed some from my mom (well, stepdad, but he doesn’t use it). I looked at it, saw the “No rub” on the front, and assumed it was like the stuff I normally use (Opti-free Express), just was a different brand. The top of it is NOT red (maybe they replaced the cap with another). It was only after the flaming eyeball incident that I read the back. With a reaction this severe, there needs to be a clear warning on the FRONT of the bottle. I mean, if McDonald’s has to have a warning on their hot coffee that it’s hot, then this should definitely have an obvious warning (and not just on the back). I know that it’s my fault for not turning the bottle over, but I honestly had never heard of just a cleaning solution. I thought they were all the same, just different brands. So checking the back never even crossed my mind.
Kevin
wtf?
tina
i’ve been using this solution correctly for 3 years with the special little case and everything. it’s the only bottle of contact solution I have so I never mistake it for saline solution. I’ve never had any problem with it. last night I even put them in to soak overnight for 9 hours, which they did, according to me. this morning I did what I usually do, which is pop them out of the case and put them in. it burned terribly. Apparently the little catalyst is faulty or something. I have no idea why the stupid thing didn’t work but I just put them in a new one and it did start to bubble. I guess I should have checked but like I said i’ve been using them for 3 years with no problem so I didn’t. It barely touched my eye so the redness is gone already & there’s no swelling to speak of but i’m still washing it out every 10 minutes just to be on the safe side. I was never aware that it could burn like that. I will not forget to check again.
ANNAH
There needs to be a MUCH clearer warning! I burned my eye and with all the other products that are SO similar , it’s totally unacceptable for Clear Care to NOT be extremely CLEAR that this product can virtually fry your eye!! We are not idiots and this is negligent marketing.
Tom
This stuff is dangerous, whether you’re an “idiot” or not. I was at my girlfriend’s house when my contact fell out…I asked my girlfriend (who has 20/20 vision) if there was any contact solution in the house. She went to her mom’s room and got the nice “No-Rub!” bottle. I took it, read the front carefully, recognized it looks EXACTLY LIKE EVERY OTHER CONTACT LENS BOTTLE IN THE WORLD, and put a few drops on my contact. You all know what happened next. My eye still is bright red a day later. Had I bought Clear Care, I definitely would have read everything carefully…but I never saw the box or a “special case”, and unless you routinely read the ingredients on the saline bottle, you’d never find the “WARNING” on the Clear Care (as the warning is parked in a place where you’d have to be SEARCHING for proof this stuff is acid to find it). No, I’m not an idiot. I feel like one for not reading the bottle, and my girlfriend feels awful, but it’s not her fault – a warning MUST be on the front of this bottle, or else people will be hurt in situations like this, with honest mistakes, many times in the future.
Pat
This is exactly why I tell people never to change their contact lens solutions, etc., without talking with a Optometrist, Ophthalmologist, or Certified Contact Lens fitter. People MUST read instructions on the bottle eye care purposes.
Due to this column, I am going to speak to my pharmacist and see if we should recommend that they keep this solution behind the counter so no future mistakes are made by clients that do not read instructions. I am also going to make recommendations to CIBA Vision. Did any of you write Ciba Vision about this?
If this product is used as instructed it is the best solution to use for people who have dry eye symptoms or chemical alergic reactions due to contact lens solution. It also kills to types of pathogens/bacteria that are very painful and vision disruptive for contact lens wearers. My advice to you all is to ask more questions from the places that you purchase your contact lenses from in the cities you live in. The most effective way to great contact lens wear is to follow your certified professionals recommendations for products to use.
When an emergency happens with your eyes of sudden vision loss, pain, or sensitivity to bright lights of this nature, go to an emergency and/or see an Ophthalmologist ASAP. Your eyes are precious.
GraceFace
Found this site after I burned my eye. I took every other warning seriously except the one about NOT using a flat case. I’ve been using it for a few weeks, but hate the upright one they provide, so I thought I’d use my old flat case. I let the lenses sit for more than 24 hours, and that stuff STILL set my right eye on fire. I also just read one readers comment (Tina), and decided to ditch this stuff and opt for the tried and true.
Diane
My ophthalmologist recommended Clear Care, and at first I had no problems with it and thought it did a better job cleaning. Then one morning I woke up, went to put in my lenses just like every other day, and my eyes started tearing and burning like crazy. I had done nothing different, but apparently the thing in the case that neutralizes the acid had stopped working. I was in serious pain, had to throw out my lenses, and flushed my eyes with water for the better part of an hour. I had read the directions carefully and had been using the product for a couple of months when this happened. And no, it wasn’t less than 6 hours, it was closer to 9 hours. I talked to my doctor and reluctantly decided to give it another go with a new case (hard to find sold individually, and expensive!). A few weeks later, the same thing happened, and I swear I felt like suing the company. The case mechanism wears out, sometimes in just a few weeks, and there is no way to know this until your eyes are on fire one morning and you’re worried you might have serious damage. While Clear Care works well when it works, it is NOT worth the serious risks, and should not be on the market in its present form, period.
Incidentally, my son also had many problems with Clear Care, and was swearing it was “evil” back when I was telling him he must not be following the directions carefully. I have since apologized and asked him to forgive me for not taking his warnings seriously. Use it at your peril.
vinny
Just read the instructions on the box or the bottle! not all products are the samea nd Clear Care has got to be the best solution I have used in 20 years of wearing contacts, it usually comes with a special lens case. Would you take medication before reading the directions? read the box before you take your lenses out people! you only have yourself to blame.
Jenna
I put them in the case it came with and waited (over) six hours and it burned the heck out of me! I rinsed them with regular saline and they were alright after that but I don’t understand why it happened if I used the right case and didnt squirt it directly in my eye, and I did not rinse the contacts with clear care before putting them in. The only thing I can think of is that I kind of shook the case (not much) and realized it say do not shake. I have a problem with protein build up on my lens or something because they are blurry by the end of the day. I was hoping this would be the solution, but now I’m scared to try it again!!
helen
Seeing this many people commenting on this post, I think Clear Care deserves to be sued. I know, I know, they have the directions on the inside of the box and on the bottle… whatever. I’ve been wearing contact lenses for 10 years now and my mom’s been wearing them for close to 30 years now. We normally don’t care about the brand name when it comes to saline solution; we just grab whatever we see in the section. This is exactly what we did yesterday at CVS. I don’t know what came over me, but I just decided to try these “new” products that I noticed. Two bottles, a case, AND a travel size solution for cheaper than other brands… perfect! So I come home and put it nicely on the bathroom counter. At night I wash up and store my contacts using the brand new solution that comes in a bottle with a pretty red tip. This morning, I went to go put on my contacts as I have been doing for the past 10 years. And the next thing I know, my right eye is burning.
I immediately took out the contact lens and started washing it out with water. I had to get to work so I just put on my nasty glasses that only my family members have seen me wear and go to work. Now, 7 hours later, my right eye is still very red and it’s all puffy.
I don’t feel any pain anymore… it just feels very heavy as if I didn’t get any sleep for the past days.
I shared the story with my coworkers cuz they obviously saw what was wrong with my eye and several of them had the same experience. Clear Care burn.
Clear Care products need to be behind the counter or they need to put these locked at CVS like other items like razors or pregnancy testers. This is a very dangerous product when not used exactly as it tells you. The bottles look nothing different from other saline solutions.
They need to change the packaging to something that looks like a medicine.. like a smaller brown bottle that has a big red sign that indicates that the product has hydrogen peroxide.
Just like someone mentioned above, if anyone is starting a class action against Clear Care, I’m oh so definitely in.
ghk
This f*king product should be removed from the market. I got burnt by this product and am seriously considering filing a suit aganist the company
Sophia
Last night, I ran out of our regular saline solution, so we opened up a package of Clear Care that we’ve received from our optometrist and used it. This morning, almost at the same time, my daughter and I tried to put our contacts in and felt the excruciating pain many of you have felt. We removed the contacts from our eyes immediately, but our eyes were already bloodshot red. Even after thorough rising, our eyes still hurt for hours. If anyone starts a class action against Clear Care, count us in.
Smurph
Thank you Xylia!
19kiloz81
I’ve been wearing contact for 10 year’s with no problems then I bought this clear care devil liquid, I used the special case for the 1st night with no problem then today I took them out being alittle dry while takeing a nap I work mids (police officer)I woke up 2 hours later started getting ready for work went to put a contact in felt like I was hit in the face with pepper spray my eye is still blood red and hurts! This stuff needs to be removed from the market, if anyone is sueing I want in can anyone tell me if my eye is permanent damage?
Jadub
After using the Clear Care as directed I have an eye suffering from chemical irritation. When calling my Poison Control Center regarding this product, I learned that it is well known to them. My first time using this product I encountered a common side effect. Chemical irritation will occur if the product is not used properly as so many posts have pointed out. Personally, the neutralized solution still irritates my eyes. Also, for RGP lenses, a rub IS required. This isn’t stated on the bottle but is in the paper insert.
LynnMay
This stuff is extremly harmful, I, like many of you didnt read the box and figured it was a simple solution as well. I used it w/ my regular contact lenses case and BURNED MY EYE! There should be a better warnign for this stuff. Needless to say I threw it out and never again will purchase this stuff.
Kathryn
I’m college educated, understood that I was NEVER to put this directly in my eye but alas, they never told me the mechanism would wear out in my charcoal activated case. Today when inserting my contact, BINGO! Major burning, swelling pain…On my way to the eye doc for follow up now. I read the instructions, I heeded the warning but NO WHERE on the label does it say that you need to replace the case and how often you need to do that.
Karla
Last night I stayed at a friend’s house and had brought a flat case with my regular Opti-free solution to store my contacts for the night. One of the lids wasn’t closed tightly enough and the solution had leaked out, so I grabbed the bottle of Clear Care on her counter with the ‘no rub’ clearly displayed and its cardboard warning ring around the top removed. Really, who would keep that on. So, I squirted it into my empty case and went to take my contact out. There was a little bit of clear care on my fingers and it burned my eye, OH how that hurt… I didn’t know what I had touched to make this happen; I thought maybe I touched some soap on the counter or something so grabbed the bottle of Clear Care to flush my eye. Bad bad decision. A big old squirt of that nasty molten lava in my eye sent me reeling into the wall behind me, it stung SOOO bad! I cried a bit and hoped my tears had flushed it out… stumbled to the couch and went to sleep. This morning my friend told me how she had done the same thing. She drove me to the ER where they gave me freezing drops but now it’s night and my eye is still swollen shut. I have to go do a twelve-hour work day, using a computer, tomorrow. I look like the hunchback of notre dame. This stuff should have a visible warning on the bottle. Bad packaging. Count me in for the lawsuit, please.
And to those who would say I’m an idiot and deserve this… get off this webpage. Take your aggression and snarkiness out elsewhere, ya creeps. Accidents happen. Making people who suffer accidents feel bad about themselves is like killing puppies. Don’t be that person. Don’t rub salt in wounds. Look up Karma in the dictionary. Jerks.
The Den Mother
Some of the stories of accidental misuse remind me of the apocryphal story of a woman who bought spermicidal jelly to use as a contraception and then got pregnant anyway because she ate it.