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Medication Safety Tips
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Contact Lens Cleaning Solutions with Hydrogen Peroxide May Cause Eye Injury
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Photo of a consumer's eye after an injury with a contact lens cleaning solution from a previous SafeMedicationUse.ca alert.
Some contact lens cleaning solutions contain hydrogen peroxide. These cleaning solutions that contain hydrogen peroxide must not be used directly in the eye or as a rinsing solution for lenses. In the past, SafeMedicationUse.ca has warned consumers about the risk of painful eye injuries if these solutions are used incorrectly.
SafeMedicationUse.ca has the following advice for consumers:
- Don't assume that all contact lens cleaning solutions are the same. Several products containing hydrogen peroxide are now available in Canada. These products can look a lot like multipurpose contact lens solutions.
- Before purchasing or using any product for use on your contact lenses or in your eye, read the package labels and inserts carefully. Even products that are available without a prescription can cause serious harm if not used as directed.
- Be sure to carefully read the labels and instructions of the product you have selected before you prepare your contact lenses for cleaning or rinsing.
- When using any contact lens solution containing hydrogen peroxide, follow the directions carefully, step by step, to ensure the hydrogen peroxide is fully neutralized before you reinsert the lenses into your eyes.
- To avoid mix-ups at home, keep lens cleaning solutions containing hydrogen peroxide in a location separate from where you keep solutions for rinsing or moisturizing your lenses.
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Tips for Practitioners
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Before selling or recommending a hydrogen peroxide-based contact lens cleaning solution, confirm the intended use of the product and educate consumers about proper use.
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Do not display hydrogen peroxide-based contact lens cleaning solutions beside multipurpose solutions. Organizations that use company-wide shelving plans (such as planograms) should review the placement of these products to reduce the risk of selection errors.
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In community pharmacies, consider storing hydrogen peroxide-based solutions behind the counter.
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Share this SafeMedicationUse.ca alert with consumers and patients. Consider posting a copy of the alert near displays of hydrogen peroxide-based lens cleaning solutions.
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Related Information:
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