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The pH of over-the-counter hydrogen peroxide in soft lens disinfection systems
M G Harris1, C M Gan, D A Long
1Morton D. Sarver Laboratory for Contact Lens and Corneal Research, University of California, School of Optometry, Berkeley.
Abstract:
We evaluated the pH of six hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) soft lens disinfection systems which had over-the-counter (OTC) H2O2 substituted for the manufacturer's recommended H2O2. Substitution of four brands of OTC H2O2 into the five two-step disinfection systems resulted in a pH after neutralization which ranged from 6.70 to 7.55 pH units. There was a small but statistically significant difference in the pH after neutralization when OTC H2O2 was substituted for the manufacturer's recommended H2O2. There was a significantly lower pH after neutralization when the same brands of OTC H2O2 were substituted for the manufacturer's recommended H2O2 in a one-step H2O2 disinfection system. The pH after neutralization for the manufacturer's recommended H2O2 was 6.50 pH units. The pH after neutralization for the OTC H2O2 ranged from 3.35 to 4.77 pH units. This range is below the ocular comfort range of 6.6 to 7.8 pH units. These findings, along with other possible differences between OTC H2O2 and the manufacturer's recommended H2O2, indicate that OTC H2O2 should never be substituted for the manufacturer's recommended H2O2 in any H2O2 soft lens disinfection system.