We will be in Italy for a month in September and October, mainly in the Tuscany region also some time will be spent in Rome and Venice. I was wondering if the tap water is pure enough for inserting my contact lenses. <BR>Also, is the tap water safe for drinking? <BR>

um, no, you never want to use tap water for contact lenses. not even here. you must use saline water - your tears are saline, no? <BR> <BR>use regular water, and you will be in a lot of pain until your eyes naturally salinate the lenses.

The water is safe for drinking.

Just bring your usual saline solution--for a month, a 12 oz bottle should probably do it. Many of the same brands are sold in Europe, should you run out, though from what I recall, it's more expensive. (If you mix your own, which I haven't done since about 1985, you'll want to use distilled, not tap water, anyway, right?) <BR> <BR>As above poster said, tap water is okay to drink, though most Europeans seem to drink mineral water (much cheaper than in US, by the way).

Oh, hush, you silly soft-lens people. Those of us with hard or gas-permeable lenses rinse 'em off in tap water. <BR>And yes, the water in Italy (and the rest of Europe) is safe. If I were European, I suspect I'd be either insulted or amused by the suggestion that my country is less technologically advanced than the US. You may want to work on that attitude before you get over there.

DO NOT USE ANYTHING BUT CONTACT SOLUTION ON YOUR LENSES!!!!If you have soft lenses minerals from the water build up on them. As far as using distilled water for making your own saline studies have shown that distilled water has caused blindness according to my eye doctor.

If you are really hard up and have run out of solution, use generic serum physiologique, which is just about the same thing, available very cheap in tiny blister bottles from any pharmacy.

Dear Martha, <BR> <BR>I would whole heartedly agree with anyone that says that one needs to travel to a foreign land with an open mind, and to understand that some foreign ways are just different, not better or worse, however I also believe that in Europe you will find some techonology more advanced (i.g. cell phones) and some technology (or goods/services) to be not so advanced( i.g. Expensive Internet service Providers, cordless phones, garbage disposals) other things are just different like the contact lens solution, in the States one can buy it easily at any wal-mart (or the like), grocery store, drug store, even gas stations sell it. In Europe you must often pay a higher price at a pharmacy where the clerk will fetch the box from behind the counter, also the store may only be open till 5 or 6 o'clock. I don't think that it is insulting or amusing to question these differences, one just needs to have an open mind to try a new way if the old way won't work, and to do this without harsh judgement of a new culture. Each culture has pluses and minuses, It's not insulting to ask.

Hi: <BR>Three years ago in France I ran out and <BR>went to a pharmacy - they sold me a box <BR>of individual salines in plastic vials. <BR>Great for traveling - probably you can <BR>get them in Italy too.

Simple science literacy, and you could make your own saline anywhere. <BR> <BR>Ask for hot water for tea. This will be sterile or close enough. No bacteria of the "bad water" type (i.e., sewage) survive at this temperature. Pour yourself 8 ounces (240 ml). Using the salt shaker, measure out 1 level teaspoon (5 gms) and dissolve it in the 240 ml. You now have a 20 gms/liter solution. This is twice as concentrated as normal saline (0.9%). <BR> <BR>Dilute it one to one with additional water from the teapot. By making up just two teaspoons full at a time, it will cool to body temperature in just a minute or two. <BR> <BR>But just out of curiosity, why wouldn't you carry a bottle of saline with you from home, if you are really worried about this?

Hi ... <BR> <BR>Just wanted to point out that if you are coming to Europe then it might be advisable to drink bottled water ... as someone living in England, I have always been advised NOT to drink water from a tap or have ice in a drink .... <BR> <BR>This is NOT because the quality of the water is anyway inferior, it is just that there is bacteria in the water, that my intestine would not be used to ... it is better not to risk getting an upset tummy ..... <BR> <BR>When I go to the USA later this year, it is likely I will drink bottled water ... <BR> <BR>Mark

Hi ... <BR> <BR>Another mistake ... I really should start reading my posts before submitting them ... <BR> <BR>I meant that I would drink water from England ... because I have lived here most of my life ... <BR> <BR>Mark