Every country is different
Wearers across Europe describe very different shelves. In some countries, pharmacies stock preservative-free single-dose saline and a range of rigid lens solutions. In others, wearers find only one rigid lens solution in town and order everything else online. Many US scleral fills aren’t sold in Europe at all, and some US makers don’t export.
The good news is that you don’t need a particular brand. You need the right type of product, approved by your fitter. Your local fitter knows what’s actually available where you live.
Products that are widely sold
Rigid lens disinfecting systems and hydrogen peroxide systems are the easiest to find. Two examples, from the makers’ own country sites:
- Boston Simplus appears on Bausch + Lomb’s sites for Italy and the Netherlands.[1][2]
- AOSEPT Plus with HydraGlyde, a one-step hydrogen peroxide system, appears on Alcon’s site for Belgium.[3]
Availability changes, and a product listed in one country may not be sold in the next. Check with your fitter or a local optician.
With any peroxide system, use the case that comes with each new bottle and soak for the full time on the label. Never rinse a lens with unneutralised peroxide, and never put it in your eye.[6] Don’t dilute a stronger pharmacy peroxide yourself.
Fill saline: the harder part
The fill is what wearers most often struggle to find. Look for a product that is:
- Sterile and preservative-free
- 0.9% sodium chloride, plain or buffered
- Single dose, or a sealed preservative-free bottle with a discard date once opened
- Labelled for contact lenses, ideally for rinsing and inserting rigid or scleral lenses
Never fill with water, a multipurpose or storage solution, or anything preserved. The FDA advises only sterile saline for rinsing and never homemade saline.[5]
Saline for inhalation is often what a pharmacist will offer. It’s off-label for lenses: products like this are made for nebulizers. In the US, for example, one such product is cleared for nebulizer and airway use, not for the eye.[4] Some fitters accept it as a short-term stopgap, some don’t. Ask before using it. See filling solutions.
Reading a label in another language
These words help when you’re scanning a box or asking a pharmacist. Show them the empty vial or box from home too.
| English | German | French | Spanish | Italian | Dutch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| preservative-free | konservierungsmittelfrei | sans conservateur | sin conservantes | senza conservanti | zonder conserveermiddel |
| sodium chloride | Natriumchlorid | chlorure de sodium | cloruro de sodio | cloruro di sodio | natriumchloride |
| single dose | Einzeldosis | unidose | monodosis | monodose | eenmalige dosis |
| sterile | steril | stérile | estéril | sterile | steriel |
| contact lenses | Kontaktlinsen | lentilles de contact | lentes de contacto | lenti a contatto | contactlenzen |
If you can’t confirm a product is sterile and preservative-free, don’t put it in your lens.
Ordering across borders
Wearers use a few routes, each with trade-offs:
- Ordering from a seller in another EU country. Often works, though shipping can be slow and some sellers don’t ship abroad.
- Bringing supplies from home in sealed packaging. Many travelers and expats do this.
- Parcel forwarding from the US. Some wearers have used it; it’s slow, and some products are restricted from export.
Whatever you do, buy from the maker or a seller you trust, check seals and lot numbers on arrival, and avoid unfamiliar brands with no maker name. Keep a local backup your fitter has approved. See shortages, recalls, and counterfeit saline.
What wearers say
- Many settle on a local routine after some trial and error: a local rigid lens solution or peroxide system, plus whatever preservative-free saline their fitter recommends.
- Buffered fills are the biggest gap. Wearers who need buffered saline often order from another country or bring supplies from home.
- Coated lenses need care. Wearers with surface-coated lenses note that not every local cleaner is coating-safe. Ask your fitter.
What to ask your fitter
- Which fill saline do your patients use here, and where do they buy it?
- Is a buffered option available in this country?
- Which cleaners are safe for my lens and its coating?
- Is inhalation saline acceptable for me as a stopgap?
Common questions
Is there a European version of my US buffered fill?
Sometimes, but not everywhere. Some European makers sell buffered or electrolyte salines for rigid or scleral lenses in some countries; elsewhere wearers find only unbuffered saline. Ask your local fitter which buffered options exist where you live, and whether one suits your eyes.
A pharmacist offered me saline for inhalation. Can I fill my lens with it?
It's off-label. Inhalation saline is made for nebulizers, not eyes; the US clearance for one such product, for example, is for nebulizer and airway use. Some fitters accept it as a short stopgap and some don't. Ask yours before you use it, and check the label says preservative-free and sterile.
Can I bring my US supplies into Europe?
Wearers report bringing sealed saline vials and solutions in their luggage without trouble. Keep them in their original packaging, carry a note from your fitter for long trips, and check your airline's liquid rules.
Is a European eye drop with plant extracts OK to fill my lens?
Probably not. Many drops contain preservatives or ingredients that aren't meant to sit under a lens all day. Fill with sterile, preservative-free saline your fitter approves, and ask before adding any drop to the bowl.