Summary: The point of this post is to encourage you to experiment with different brand’s “filling solutions”. You might discover an improvement in comfort, reduced midday fogging, or even which ones are better for travel. I’ve seen a lot of patients ask in online forums: “Which filling solution is the best?” The truth is there is no objective best. There’s only the one that gives YOU the best subjective daily performance. Filling solution sits between your lens and your eye ALL day (perhaps everyday). You need to make sure anything you use to “fill” your sclerals is an approved solution (i.e. – preservative-free saline). That’s an absolute must. But if your doctor is open to you experimenting within this list of products, I suggest investing the time and money to test all the options. And remember, you, your eyes, and your environment can change over time. You might find one solution “works better” for some circumstances over others. To learn how I came to this conclusion read below.
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Full Post: Before you left your eye doctor’s office with your very first set of scleral lenses you were given some very important instructions that sounded something like this:
“Jeff, FILL your lenses with THIS solution…”
Fast-forward a few months (or even years) and chances are you’ve continued using the same “filling solution” you were handed on Day 1 of your #Scleral.Life. Am I right?
| Scleral101: Unsure of the difference between FILLING and CLEANING solutions? Future post coming… but for now I like this article. |
Often, the only reason we patients try a different brand’s solution is because: a) it goes out-of-stock, b) it’s discontinued or, c) at your next eye appointment your doctor said “Try this!” In short, change only occurs when our normal flow is disrupted.
When I first started wearing sclerals Dr Frank suggested I use Unisol to fill my lenses. From that day forward I was a faithful customer. I ordered bottle-after-bottle from 2013-2015! I never questioned how well it worked. I could put my lenses in and see. Mission accomplished. And as such my life revolved around this product. For example, I would check my bag on flights because these bottles were 118ml (4.0 fl oz) – 18ml over the TSA liquids carry-on limit! But hey, that was status quo.
Then in 2015 my beloved Unisol ‘filling solution’ was discontinued. I panicked! I quickly bought up any remaining supply on eBay at quadruple the normal price. Yes, even in the tiny scleral lens market Adam Smith’s invisible hand is hard at work balancing price against a shortage in supply. (My freshman year Economics professor would be proud that I paid enough attention to make this reference!)
It turns out that Unisol’s disappearance was actually a blessing because it forced me to try other filling solutions. I was disrupted. And as a result I discovered that some of my daily scleral issues were improved depending on which solution I used.
Here’s an example: After about 6-8 hours of wearing sclerals (using Unisol) I would also start to experience fogging (“Midday Fogging” a.k.a. “MDF”). I’ve since discovered that Nutrifil and ScleralFil extend my wear time to 10-12 hours before I need to reset my lenses (i.e. – pop them out, rest my eyes for 10-15 mins, and pop them back in). What a huge day-to-day improvement!
I also discovered that these other brands come in single-use vials (e.g. – SceralFil), which are great for travel and handy when you’re on the go. I have a vial or two with me at all times.
I’ve seen a lot of patients ask in online support groups (like Facebook’s “My Big Fat Scleral Lens”): “Which filling solution is the best?”
In my opinion, this is the wrong question to ask because there is no objective best product. We’re all different; our eyes are all different. Instead, I think the right question to solicit answers to is: “What are the reasons you like or dislike this [BRAND] filling solution?” Because the answers from our fellow wearers will give you a sense of what things a given solution might impact. For example:
- [Comfort]: “I like how this solution feels in eyes”
- [Irritation]: “My eyes are less red when I use…”
- [MDF]: “My lenses don’t fog…” or.. “My lenses fog less quickly…”
- [Application]: “This solution’s bottle’s design makes it easier to fill my lenses”
| NOTE! “Price” is also a HUGE factor in picking a filling solution. This article intentionally focuses on ‘performance’ factors. I wish everyone could be in a position to fill their lenses with the brand creates the best #sceral.life – and am working on ways to help make that possible. Stay tuned! |
Hopefully, there’s one filling solution that hits a home run for you across all factors but as is often the case there are usually trade-offs. Personally, I love the cool wet sensation of Nutrifil in my eyes and it definitely extends my wear time. BUT – I really dislike the vial’s mouth because too much liquid squeezes out when I’m trying to carefully fill my lenses. In the end, I’m optimizing for MDF and wear time so I’ll accept the extra mess on my table.
Ultimately, I think the only way to determine which filling solution is best for YOU – is simply to try them all. I created a list at the end of this post with links on where you can buy.
BTW – I wish there was an easy way to get a small sample of every brand. Maybe I should create and sell something like that?! Email me if you’re interested! Until then, the DryEyeShop offers “convenience packs” of filling solutions (i.e. – the ability to order between 5-7 vials versus a whole box).
If you’re on the fence about experimenting, I’ll just say this: Filling solution sits between your lens and your eye ALL day (and if you’re reliant on sclerals to see like me – that means EVERYDAY). And likely, the filling solution you use affects your scleral lens performance in some way (e.g. – comfort, vision quality, and duration). That’s why I recommend exploring all the options available.
Lastly, two things:
- I’m thankful thankful thankful that there are multiple manufacturers motivated to create and sell these filling solutions – giving us all an opportunity to individually discover what works best.
- Safety! Remember to only “fill” your sclerals with an approved solution (i.e. – preservative-free saline). That’s an absolute must. And consult your doctor before experimenting in case there is some reason (specific to your eyes) to avoid a particular brand’s solution.
Best,
-Jeff
Here is a list of Filling Solutions. Always consult with your doctor first in case there’s some reason one of these shouldn’t be used with your specific wonderful eyes
| Brand | Manufacturer | Places to Buy |
| ScleralFil | Bausch + Lomb | Amazon or DryEyeShop |
| NutriFil | Contamac | Nutrifil (direct) or DryEyeShop |
| LacriPure | Menicon | Amazon or DryEyeShop |
| AddiPak | Teleflex | Amazon or DryEyeShop |
| PuriLens | The LifeStyle Company | PuriLens (direct), Amazon, DryeEyeShop |
