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If you run out of contact lens solution, the safest move is to throw away daily disposables and open a fresh pair, or wait until you have proper solution before wearing reusable lenses again. There is no household substitute that cleans and disinfects lenses the way contact lens solution does. Water, saliva, and homemade saltwater are never safe, and using them can lead to serious eye infections.
It usually happens at the worst time, on a trip, at a friend’s place, or when you reach for the bottle and find it empty. The situation is manageable, but only if you skip the shortcuts that put your eyes at risk. Here is what to do, what to avoid, and when to replace your lenses.
Why Does Contact Lens Solution Matter So Much?
Contact lens solution does far more than keep your lenses wet. It is formulated to clean, disinfect, and protect your lenses so they are safe to put back on your eye.
Proper solution removes bacteria and microorganisms, lifts away protein deposits, keeps lenses hydrated, and holds a safe pH balance. Without it, lenses pick up contamination fast, raising your risk of irritation, infection, and in serious cases corneal damage. A substitute that only adds moisture, with no disinfecting power, does not solve the problem.
What Can I Put My Contacts In If I Do Not Have Solution?
Nothing safely replaces contact lens solution. If you wear daily disposables, the answer is simple. Throw them out and open a fresh pair when you are ready.
If you wear monthly or reusable lenses, wait until you have proper solution before wearing them again. A few emergency options keep a lens moist for a short time, but none disinfect, so they do not make a lens safe to wear. Protecting your eyes matters more than saving one pair.
How Should I Handle Each Lens Type Without Solution?
What you do depends on the kind of lens you wear. The two cases are different.
- Daily disposables. These are made to be worn once and discarded. With no solution on hand, throw them away and start a fresh pair next time.
- Monthly or reusable lenses. These are designed to be cleaned and stored in solution. Do not wear them if they have not been disinfected, do not store them in household liquids, and replace them if you are unsure whether they are still safe.
Can I Store Contacts in Saline in an Emergency?
Sterile saline labeled for contact lenses is the least risky way to keep a reusable lens from drying out briefly. It is not a fix, though, since saline only adds moisture and does not disinfect.
Before wearing a lens that has sat in saline, it still needs cleaning and disinfecting with proper solution. If you have no sterile saline, discard the lens rather than store it in any other liquid.
The CDC advises keeping all water away from contact lenses. Tap, bottled, distilled, lake, and well water can all carry germs that lead to serious eye infections, so lenses that touch water should be disinfected or discarded.
What Should You Never Use Instead of Contact Lens Solution?
Never clean or store contacts in tap water, bottled water, distilled water, homemade saltwater, saliva, or eye drops. None of these disinfect, and several introduce dangerous microorganisms onto a lens that sits against your eye.
Water is the most common and most dangerous mistake. Tap water, lake water, and well water can carry an ameba called Acanthamoeba, which causes a severe eye infection called Acanthamoeba keratitis. The CDC notes this infection is usually very painful and hard to treat, sometimes needing a year or more of treatment, and in the worst cases it can lead to a corneal transplant or vision loss. Nearly 85 percent of Acanthamoeba cases occur in contact lens wearers, which is why every major eye health authority warns against any water contact with lenses.
| Liquid | Safe for Contacts? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Lens Solution | Yes | Cleans, disinfects, and stores lenses safely |
| Sterile Saline | Emergency only | Keeps lenses moist but does not disinfect |
| Tap Water | No | Can carry Acanthamoeba and other microorganisms |
| Bottled or Distilled Water | No | Not sterile and does not disinfect |
| Homemade Saltwater | No | No disinfecting power, contamination risk |
| Saliva | No | Full of bacteria, never safe for lenses |
| Eye Drops | No | Made to lubricate, not to clean or store lenses |
Can I Rehydrate Contacts That Dried Out?
Adding solution to a fully dried-out lens does not reliably make it safe again. As lenses dry, they can lose their shape, develop tiny cracks, and trap bacteria that remain even after rehydrating.
When a lens has dried out completely, replace it. This is one reason daily disposables suit people who travel or forget supplies, since there is never a lens to rescue.
When Is It Safer To Just Replace Your Contacts?
Replace your lenses rather than risk wearing a compromised pair in any of these situations.
- They were stored in water, saliva, or any non-solution liquid.
- They dried out completely.
- You cannot properly clean and disinfect them.
- They look cloudy, feel stiff, or smell unusual.
Replacing a pair of lenses costs far less than treating an eye infection. When in doubt, start fresh.
Sterile saline is not a disinfectant. It only keeps a lens moist for a short time. Any lens stored in saline still needs cleaning and disinfecting with proper contact lens solution before you wear it.
When Should I Contact My Eye Doctor?
Take your contacts out and call an eye care professional if you have redness, eye pain, blurry vision, light sensitivity, swelling, or discharge. These can be early signs of infection
and should not be ignored.
These infections are treatable but far easier to manage when caught early. If symptoms appear after wearing a lens that was not properly disinfected, do not wait it out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use water to store my contacts overnight?
No. Water does not disinfect and can carry Acanthamoeba and other microorganisms. A lens stored in water should be thrown away rather than worn.
Is sterile saline the same as contact lens solution?
No. Sterile saline only keeps a lens moist. It does not clean or disinfect, so lenses stored in saline still need proper solution before wearing.
Can I reuse daily disposable lenses if I have no solution?
No. Daily disposables are made for single use and cannot be safely cleaned or stored, even in solution. Throw them away and open a fresh pair.
What happens if I wear contacts that were not disinfected?
You raise your risk of eye irritation and infection, including serious ones like Acanthamoeba keratitis. If a lens has not been disinfected, do not put it in your eye.
How can I avoid running out of solution again?
Keep a travel-size bottle in your bag, store a backup at home or work, and replace your solution before the bottle is empty. Daily disposables are a good option if you forget supplies regularly.
If you forget your solution regularly, daily disposables remove the storage problem since you start fresh each day. Popular daily options like 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST, DAILIES Total1, and Precision1 never need cleaning or storing. If you have run out and need to restock, 1-800-GET-LENS carries contact lens solution alongside a full range of lenses, including monthly options like Biofinity and AIR OPTIX, so you can replace both in one place.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy Habits Keeping Water Away from Contact Lenses. CDC.gov. 2025.
American Academy of Ophthalmology. Contact Lens Care. AAO.org. 2023.
US Food and Drug Administration. Contact Lens Care Products. FDA.gov. 2023.
American Optometric Association. Contact Lens Solutions and Care. AOA.org. 2023.
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