Analysis of two 'home remedy' contact lens cleaners

In this study, we compared the cleaning efficacy of two "home remedy" contact lens cleaners, baking soda and popcorn salt, to the FDA approved "soft" abrasive cleaner, Opticlean. Ten deposited soft contact lenses were cut into four equal sections. The first section was left uncleaned and served as a control. The other three sections were cleaned with Opticlean, a baking soda-distilled water paste, and a mixture of Pliagel and popcorn salt, respectively. A quantitative analysis indicated that the area of the lens surface covered by deposits was not significantly different for the three experimental sections, but all three were significantly cleaner than the control. In addition, there were numerous deep scratches on the lens surfaces cleaned with baking soda and popcorn salt.