The effects of ophthalmic solutions on the transmission of light through hydrogel lenses

We incubated ten different hydrogel lens materials in nine different artificial tear preparations and in cromolyn sodium (Opticrom) 4% at 35 degrees C for a period of 6 months. The subsequent ability of these hydrogel materials to transmit visible light was analyzed spectrophotometrically as a measure of each solution's compatibility with the different hydrogel materials. Ultra Tears solution was found to be significantly incompatible with four of the hydrogel materials: tetrafilcon A, deltafilcon A, phemfilcon A, and polymacon. Seven other solution/hydrogel combinations had relatively high absorbance readings that were not statistically significant. These combinations should probably be avoided. Cromolyn sodium 4% was found to be compatible with all hydrogel lens materials tested, as were the majority of artificial tear solution/hydrogel combinations. We believe that the use of the compatible solution/hydrogel combinations should produce no alteration in the ability of the hydrogel lens to transmit visible light (400-700 nm).