An ophthalmic solution with viscosity enhancing and detergent properties for contact lenses, comprising one or more physiologically acceptable viscosity enhancing agents in aqueous solution having a non-Newtonian rheological behaviour, and one or more physiologically acceptable non-ionic surfactants. The non-ionic surfactant may be selected among esters of fatty acids, sorbitan polyoxyethylates (i.e. polysorbates, such as 'Tween'), or block copolymers polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene (i.e. poloxamers, such as 'Pluronic'). The viscosity enhancing agent may be selected among hyaluronic acid or its salts with alkali or alkaline-earth metals, ethers or esters of cellulose, chitosans, gellans, alginates or carboxyvinyl polymers of the kind Carbopol® (or carbomer).