Getting comfortable with contact lens deposits

The arrival of the first daily disposable contact lenses in 1995 seemed to spell the end of concern about lens deposits. Since the advent of frequent replacement, lenses were no longer returned to the practice for intensive cleaning, or regularly subjected to protein removal. Rubbing and rinsing reusable lenses, and replacing them to schedule, came to be seen as sufficient to keep deposits in check.

Fast forward 20 years and there is renewed interest in the subject as we gain a better understanding of the interaction between lens deposits and the eye, and differences in deposition between modern materials. The British Contact Lens Association included an education session in its 2015 Clinical Conference to report on findings that challenge our thinking on deposits.