Question re using contact lens solution for tear stains

[damara23]

Originally Posted by cindymbwright

The staining is because our babies have iron in their tears. Iron is red and the reason we get staining. Baking soda also works to get rid of the staining, but you need to make sure you don't get it into their eyes. I had my dog blue for a while and was shocked at how the baking soda took all of the blue away from his face,
which wasn't my goal. It however did a great job of making my JujuB very white.

Wouldn't applying baking soda or cornstarch create a paste?

I get your supposed to dry the tears but Paris's tear streaks stay damp. Also she has red marking in between both eyes and down to her nose, I hate it!




How long before I'll see results if I do both contact solution and baking soda or cornstarch?

[edelweiss]

Just quickly. . . I heard at the World Dog Show that using potato starch is better than using cornstarch (honestly can't remember why though). Also be careful about too much paste as it might get into the eye & make things worse. Personally I would never use soda---as it might be caustic. JMHO
I have been using just the cleaner (ReNu) since Nov. & posted a photo of how it is working for Lisi---all the new hair is white. She has always had tear stains since she was born. I got rid of them once when she was on an antibiotic for something else, but they came back last summer when she got Eherlichia.

[Nycsparkle]

I've been using renu for about a week now and I have to say, what a difference! Thanks for all the great posts!

[janis]

Originally Posted by IvysMom

Hi, I've seen posts here recommending contact lens solution for cleaning tear stains. However, there are so many types of contact lens products that I'm not sure which it is that people are recommending.

Is it the rewetting drops contact lens wearers put in their eyes to lubricate the lenses, or contact lens cleaning solution that goes in the lens cases for soaking the contacts? Any particular brand you've used that you like better than another? Thanks!

I have been told, its the contact eye solution, what you soak your contact lenses in. As long as it says in the ingreidients Borac Acid, as its this what helps to fade the tear stain.

[Snowbody]

I get the generic bottles of "eye wash" with boric acid in it. I never went for contact solution because I don't know what else is in it and I think the eye wash is cheaper than contact lens solution.

[hoaloha]

So, I had been using regular human eye wash (ie. Collyrium Fresh Eyes) which contains boric acid for quite awhile and do think it works. BUT, recently, I switched to my own contact lens solution BioTrue by Bausch and Lomb after doing some more research. I'm not an optometrist, but in the medical field, and it seems like all contact lens solutions (to clean and soak the lenses, not the rewetting drops) are meant to kill bacteria and fungi in order to keep your lenses and eyes as clean as possible. Boric acid is one of the ingredients as well as additional ingredients depending on the brand of solution.

The BioTrue, according to my literature research, is ALSO formulated to help preserve an important protein called Lactoferrin which is normally present in tears and helps combat microorganisms. Even some "anti-tear stain" probiotic supplements contain lactoferrin. This is a unique claim which studies have substantiated not carried by other solutions. I do NOT have any ties to BioTrue, btw

Now with all that mumbo-jumbo stated and behind us, I started swiping Obi's hair around his eyes daily with my BioTrue contact lens solution and it seems to be more effective that the plain old Collyrium Fresh Eyes Eye wash. BUT, a big BUT, is that I also started giving Animal Essentials Probiotics 1/4tsp daily at the same time. So, I can't say for sure which one is helping more. There is a noticeable difference to me. Granted, Obi's stains are minimal to begin with but I have noticed a good change. I still use the fresh eyes IN the eyes (1-2 drops) if I need to clear out the eye boogers. In contrast, never put the contact lens solution in the eye. If you have contact lens solution, it'd be worth a try to just swipe it on the affected hair.

I will continue with both the AE probiotics and contact lens solution and see if these good results continue or if it's just a fluke!