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.