Category: Uncategorized

Daily Disposable Contact Lenses What About the Environment?

I’ve had a few patients recently express concerns about the waste associated with daily disposable contacts vs monthly reusable lenses. This is a subject that has warranted legitimate concern and research. Fortunately, studies show that there is not a significant difference in waste generated between the two modalities, often underestimated is the cost and environmental impact of the contact lens solutions and cases that are required to maintain healthy disinfection of the reusable contact lenses.

  • The ecological waste of daily disposable contact lenses (approx. 2.2lbs/year) is not significantly different from reusable lenses (1.9lbs/year) due to the need for contact lens solution bottles and packaging. 
  • The plastic in one reusable contact lens case is equivalent to 4 years’ worth of daily lenses.
  • The plastic in one hydrogen peroxide system case is equal to 8 years’ worth of daily lenses.
  • Recycling or disposing in the garbage is preferred for all contact lenses.  Any contact lens that is disposed of in the toilet or down the sink is likely to break down into microplastics and enter the water system.
  • Fortunately, all of the waste related to contact lenses is now recyclable. Much material science research is currently being conducted to better recycle the current waste plastics as well as to create more biodegradable plastics.

From Contact Lens Spectrum “The Environmental Impact of Contact Lens Waste” August 2019

Recycling Option Available at Oswego Optique

We participate in a recycling program with Bausch&Lomb to take any brand of contact lenses and the plastic and foil packaging for recycling.  Bring in your saved packaging and we will send it to be recycled at TerraCycle.  Cardboard packaging can be put into regular recycling.

 

The Environmental Impact of Daily Disposable Contact Lenses vs Replaceable – it might surprise you!

To summarize the article from Contact Lens Spectrum below: 

  • The ecological waste of one-day disposable contact lenses is not significantly different from reusable lenses due to the need for contact lens solution bottles and packaging.
  • The plastic in one reusable contact lens case is equivalent to 4 years’ worth of daily lenses.
  •  
  • The plastic in one hydrogen peroxide system case is equivalent to 8 years’ worth of daily lenses.
  • Any contact lens that is disposed of in the toilet or down the sink is likely breaking down into microplastics.  All lenses should be recycled or disposed of in the trash.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CONTACT LENS WASTE

By KAREN K. YEUNG, OD, & ROBERT DAVIS, OD    

Contrary to intuition, however, the ecological waste of one-day disposable contact lenses is not that different from that of reusable contact lenses plus contact lens solution. Whereas an annual supply (365 pairs) of one-day disposable contact lenses, including the cartons, blister packs, and foil, produces 1kg of waste per year, reusable contact lenses plus contact lens solution for the year would produce 0.87kg of waste.14 This doesn’t include the shipping boxes and the carbon footprint of shipping materials needed to get the contact lens solution boxes from the distributors to the retail stores.15

With regard to the plastic waste of contact lens solution cases, one multipurpose solution contact lens case and one peroxide system contact lens case are equivalent to four and eight years’ worth of daily disposable lenses, respectively. The average plastic waste of one multipurpose solution or hydrogen peroxide solution bottle is equivalent to more than 2.5 years of daily disposable lenses.16

14.  Routhier J, de Freitas M, Hickson-Curran S. Daily disposable versus reusable contact lenses: a close match when it comes to the impact on the environment. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2012 Dec 1;35(Suppl 1):e2.

15.  Tu J, Pence N. Thinking Green in Contact Lenses. Contact Lens Spectrum. 2018 March;33:19.

16.  Routhier J, De Freitas M, Hickson-Curran S. There Are How Many Contact Lenses in What?! Presented at the 2012 American Academy of Optometry meeting. 2012 Oct. 24-27. Phoenix. Available at www.aaopt.org/detail/knowledge-base-article/there-are-how-many-contact-lenses-what . Accessed Feb. 15, 2018.

  • TerraCycle recycling has a program with Bausch&Lomb to take any brand of contact lenses and the plastic and foil packaging for recycling.  Oswego Optique will collect your saved packaging and send it to be recycled.  Cardboard packaging can be put in regular recycling.

WHAT ABOUT CONTACT LENS WASTE?

Currently, there are more than 45 million contact lens wearers in the United States.9 As of 2018, 35% to 46% of all patients wear daily disposable contact lenses.10 Each contact lens weighs 30 micrograms, and the use of contact lens products by end consumers comprises 0.5% of the total environmental waste.11

Rolsky found that among more than 400 contact lens wearers surveyed, 19% discard their contact lenses into the toilet or sink. On an annual basis, this results in an estimated 2.5 billion contact lenses weighing approximately 44,000 pounds entering the wastewater treatment plants in the United States. A pair of contact lenses was found for each two pounds of waste sludge.12 When exposed to microbes such as those found in biological wastewater treatment plants, the bonds holding together the contact lenses break, causing the contact lenses to fragment into smaller pieces and to ultimately form microplastics.13

As the contact lens market shifts more toward daily disposable contact lenses, society may become concerned with the plastic waste. Contrary to intuition, however, the ecological waste of one-day disposable contact lenses is not that different from that of reusable contact lenses plus contact lens solution. Whereas an annual supply (365 pairs) of one-day disposable contact lenses, including the cartons, blister packs, and foil, produces 1kg of waste per year, reusable contact lenses plus contact lens solution for the year would produce 0.87kg of waste.14 This doesn’t include the shipping boxes and the carbon footprint of shipping materials needed to get the contact lens solution boxes from the distributors to the retail stores.15

With regard to the plastic waste of contact lens solution cases, one multipurpose solution contact lens case and one peroxide system contact lens case are equivalent to four and eight years’ worth of daily disposable lenses, respectively. The average plastic waste of one multipurpose solution or hydrogen peroxide solution bottle is equivalent to more than 2.5 years of daily disposable lenses.16

Zoria Lash Intensifying Serum

Safer Results with Drug-Free Zoria® Lash Intensifying Serum from OCuSOFT – Monday, April 30, 2018

Safer Results with Drug-Free Zoria® Lash Intensifying Serum from OCuSOFT®

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rosenberg, TX (April 25, 2018) – In light of recent news reports, OCuSOFT Inc., a privately-held eye and skin care company with an established reputation for innovation in eyelid hygiene reiterates that Zoria® Lash Intensifying Serum, part of the Zoria® skin care line from OCuSOFT®, is completely drug-free. These reports have shown that prostaglandin or prostaglandin analog based lash enhancement products, both prescription and over-the-counter, can cause serious side effects to the eyes and surrounding areas.

Presently, there is some confusion in the marketplace due to FDA regulation between cosmetic ingredients and drug ingredients. Many cosmetic over-the-counter (OTC) formulas continue to use unapproved prostaglandin analog ingredients such as isopropyl proclostenate, decloro dihydroxy difluoro ethycloprostenolamide, and cloprostenol isopropyl ester, which are closely linked chemically to approved prescription drug ingredients (bimatoprost) thus subjecting users to potential side effects. There are no safety studies with such unapproved prostaglandin analogs. A recently filed class action lawsuit is an example where users of some cosmetic OTC eyelash enhancers containing unapproved prostaglandins experienced side effects normally associated with drug formulas. These include: eye irritation, iris color change, inflammation, and/or eye pressure changes. Upper eyelid sulcus deepening or orbital fat loss has also been reported resulting in a sunken, “hollow” eye appearance.

Non-prescription Zoria® Lash Intensifying Serum is a clinically proven, drug-free OTC formula that is non-irritating and delivers noticeable results without the potential side effects associated with other lash-enhancement products. Zoria® contains polypeptides in a patented formulation that work on all three phases of the eyelash growth cycle to strengthen, nourish and condition the eyelashes so that they will remain in their natural growing cycle longer. The result is the appearance of naturally thicker, darker, longer-looking eyelashes.

Troy Smith, Vice President Professional and Technical Relations OCuSOFT® states, “Just as we have marketed products that help maintain healthy eyelids, we also understand the importance of healthy, fuller, longer-looking eyelashes. As such, Zoria® Lash Intensifying Serum contains no prostaglandins and has NO SIDE EFFECTS.”

In the News

Check out these 5 tips from Medical News Today to help keep your eyes healthy! It’s not new advice, we’ve been saying it for years, but sometimes it’s good to hear it again! Like the rest of our body, our eyes need healthy habits for best health.