Are the preservatives in saline solution safe for your eyes?

Dear teary eyed and tentative,

Your friend sure has a great eye for detail! Yes, many commercial saline solutions contain preservatives. These ingredients are added to prevent bacterial growth and extend shelf life. While preservatives are generally considered safe, they can cause irritation in some people — especially those with sensitive eyes or pre-existing eye conditions. Read on to learn more about these preservatives and find potential solutions for protecting your eye health.  

Does saline solution have preservatives?  

Some do, and some don’t. Preservatives help keep the solution sterile after opening. However, there are preservative-free alternatives. These options can be especially helpful if you have sensitive eyes. Preservative-free products can help prevent burning, stinging, or tearing sensations you might experience when using a saline solution.  

This may be a good place to note the distinction between cleaning and disinfecting your contact lenses. Cleaning involves loosening and removing debris from the surface of your contact lens. On the other hand, disinfection kills germs that may be harmful.   

Saline solution is simply a sterile mixture of salt and water. It’s designed for rinsing lenses, not disinfecting them. Unlike multipurpose or hydrogen peroxide-based solutions, saline doesn’t kill bacteria or remove harmful microorganisms. Since this is the case, you may want to try using a saline solution in addition to a proper disinfecting contact lens care system, and not as a replacement.  

Can the preservatives in saline solution hurt your eyes?  

For most contact lens wearers, preservatives in contact lens solutions are considered safe and don’t cause problems. This is especially true if the solution feels comfortable and you haven’t experienced irritation.   

That said, preservatives can affect your eyes in certain situations. Some preservatives may irritate or lead to eye surface damage if they’re used frequently and for a long time. However, this is more likely to happen in people with pre-existing eye conditions, such as glaucoma, severe dry eye syndrome, or other disorders that already affect the eye’s surface.   

To be safe, it may be best to speak with a health care professional or an eye care specialist to determine if saline solutions, with or without preservatives, are better for you.  

How can you use saline solution safely?  

These practices may help keep your eyes safe: 

• Avoid using homemade saline solutions, which can increase the risk of infection.  
• Avoid mixing fresh solutions with old solutions, as this can introduce contamination. 
• Follow the care instructions provided with your contact lenses and disinfecting system. 

If you’re following your product's instructions for using saline solution correctly, and your eyes feel comfortable, there’s usually no cause for concern. However, if you notice symptoms such as redness, dryness, burning, or irritation, you may want to consider switching to a preservative-free saline solution. You can also discuss alternative care systems with an eye health professional. 

When it comes to your eyes, comfort is a good sign, but staying informed is even better. Hopefully, this information helps you feel more confident about your contact lens routine. 

Here's to preserving the health of your eyes!