Opti-Free Replenish (TM) Rewetting Drops
Rating: 9/10
Price: $7/10ml retail; as low as $4.20/bottle if you buy in higher quantity online
Pros: Solves many problems that crop up when your contacts are still in your eyes; primarily fixes dryness, but can also break up protein and help remove debris
Cons: Big price tag for a small quantity, especially if purchased retail; may not function well when stored under hot conditions
Overall: Rewetting drops are a must-have for anyone who wears contacts for long periods of time, and Opti-Free’s line of products almost always deliver. It wouldn’t be a surprise if these were the best rewetting drops on the market.
I have been wearing Proclear Omalficon-A 30-day disposable contact lenses for a year and half now, using Opti-Free Replenish Contact Lens Storage Solution with great success. My contact lenses are very rarely uncomfortable, even after extended wear. In fact, while my lenses are not FDA-approved for sleeping, I have been able to wear these lenses for several days at a time (by the suggestion of the eye doctor who first sold them to me). I only periodically store them in a case with Opti-Free Replenish with a special lens cleansing solution (Opti-Free Refresh).
Opti-Free’s Replenish (TM) Rewetting Drops play an important role in allowing me to abuse my eyes like so without earning myself corneal abrasions. When I wake up in the morning, I almost always treat my foggy contacts with a couple of drops and they clear up about 80-90% of the way instantly, the remaining fog clearing throughout the day as my eyes begin to naturally moisturize again. If the day draws on too long and my eyes begin to dry up, the drops usually cure any significant discomfort (though often times, discomfort after extended wear is inevitable). Just take note that rewetting drops are NOT a good substitute for good contact care, which means: clean contact storage case, good storage solution, and some special contact cleaner to also be used when your contacts are in storage.
The cost of a single 10 mL (1/3 fl oz.) bottle can range from a high of $7+ in a drug store to $5.59 on sale at Target. Fortunately for my penny-pinching ass, I was able to purchase 12 bottles on eBay for around $50, giving me the nice price of $4.17/bottle – and also the convenience of a large stock of eye drops when I need them. In fact, I usually keep one in different places; one in the bathroom, one by the computer, one in my messenger bag, one on my nightstand, and one by my wallet and keys to put in my pocket when I go out. This is very practical and I’m almost never stuck without eyedrops anymore. Just avoid storing the eyedrops in a place that gets hot, like your car during the day; in this case, I can’t really vouch for their effectiveness (the label has a suggested storage temperature).
When buying from eBay or another internet retailer, beware expiration dates. While typically with most health products expiration dates don’t mean much (they only mean that the product was clinically tested for the duration between the expiration date and the product’s date of manufacture), this is still a product that is going into your eye that we are talking about. I made sure to ask my seller what the expiration dates were on the bottles, since I had seen a previous listing complete at a similar price with some bottles rapidly approaching expiration. The ones I ended up getting gave me a whole 2 years to use them up.
We all know the benefits of wearing contact lenses – that’s why we wear them. With a good set of fluids – storage solution, protein remover, rewetting drops – we can have those benefits at a higher level of convenience. Opti-Free Replenish Rewetting drops are a necessary part of your arsenal.
Best place to buy is ebay and only ebay. I’ve yet to find a better place. Make sure to purchase from reputable sellers and don’t forget to check for expiration dates.