saline solution; also, rpg contact lenses

[hwy1one]

for contact lens wearers...can saline solution be used throughout the day to flush/wet the eyes, or does it make the eyes even more dry?

i have heard that rgp contact lenses are better for dry eye (than soft lenses) because they do not absorb any tears thus letting the eyes better utilize tears that are produced...does anyone have any experience/thoughts on this?

thanks

[hwy1one]

saline solution; also, rgp contact lenses

oops...my correct title should be saline solution; also, RGP contact lenses

[indrep]

My guess would be that anything on the cornea that competes for fluid or hinders fluid from reaching the corneal surface would not be good for dry eyes.

[Rebecca Petris]

for contact lens wearers...can saline solution be used throughout the day to flush/wet the eyes, or does it make the eyes even more dry?

I use Unisol (unpreserved saline) whenever needed. Saline rinse is very soothing and - disclaimer, i'm-not-a-doc-this-is-not-medical-advice- I think it's a very good thing for those of us with poor quality tears. Like most things, it's probably possible to overdo it.

i have heard that rgp contact lenses are better for dry eye (than soft lenses) because they do not absorb any tears thus letting the eyes better utilize tears that are produced...does anyone have any experience/thoughts on this?

It can probably be argued either way... there are some newish soft lenses that are supposed to be very dry eye friendly. Personally I've been in the position of HAVING to wear gas perms due to vision problems not correctible with soft lenses and I must say that although I have periodic problems wearing them and have to be careful to prevent adhesion or abrasions, my eyes are far more comfortable when the lenses are in than when they are out, at least for most of the day. However, I wear Macrolenses, which is a very large diameter gas perm.

[kitty]

I am not a Doc and this does not constitute medical advise, in the words of our fearless leader. When I used to wear contacts, most of the lens re-wetting drops made my eyes feel dry and irritated, as did the cleaning solutions for that matter. More often than not, I just used saline solution for sensitive eyes. It always seemed to work better for me than anything. If I ever am fortunate enough to be able to wear contacts again, I will use non-preserved saline for re-wetting. I have learned my lesson about preservatives!