How To Travel With Contact Lenses

You might want to schedule a visit to your eye doctor at least a month before traveling. Your doctor will offer advice on which contacts are ideal for traveling, and perhaps even provide you with some sample lenses before you go. In some cases, they will give you a prescription to get glasses if need be. The other thing you probably already know, but just to be sure, is to pack your contact lenses in a carry-on bag. Never put your daily things or medications in your checked luggage. And if you’re going abroad for a year or longer be sure to bring a year’s supply of contact lenses or more.

Bringing and packing lens solution can be an inconvenience since you can only bring a certain amount of liquid on an airplane. That’s why you should buy travel-sized bottles of contact solution or order them online and have them sent to you at your next location. Unfortunately, losing contact lenses happens a lot, and if this happens during your trip, be sure to have a copy of your prescription with you. You can order replacement lenses online or by visiting a doctor in the country you're in and having a prescription handy can make your life easier. You could also take a photo of your prescription on your smartphone.

Another good idea would be to keep your contacts labeled and organized when traveling. Mixing up contacts can easily happen, especially if you wear different prescriptions in each eye. Thus, it’s important to label your contact lenses and make sure not to lose them by keeping everything in a safe place when you travel. Jetlag is one more problem that people who wear lenses must think about as the exhaustion from flying can cause you to rub your eyes excessively. Make sure to take a hand sanitizer with you and try to keep your hands off your face. A good bottle of eye drops can help too. A pair of glasses is a must for any trip. Also, remember to take out your contact lenses before falling asleep on a plane.

Traveling by car and long-haul drives can also be very tiring. Your eyes may become strained, and your vision acuity may decrease due to the long drives. Take regular brakes to give yourself and your eyes a chance to rest and of course, if possible, swap drivers. If you are traveling on a hot summer day, you’ll most likely turn the air-conditioner for a bit of cool air. Be careful, though, because the air-conditioner may cause dryness and discomfort to your eyes. If you are a regular wearer of extended-wear contact lenses, think about temporarily switching to dailies for the duration of your trip. It is much easier to pack daily contacts, plus they hardly need any maintenance and are thrown away every evening.

UV Protection

In case you didn’t know, modern contact lenses are produced to actively protect sensitive parts of the eye against UV damage. The main thing to check when choosing these lenses is the level of UV protection that the lenses can provide. Of course, you should consult with your eye doctor when deciding which is the best way to protect your eyes from the sun.

However, compared to sunglasses, lenses won’t provide better protection for your eyes. So, don’t forget your sunglasses! Sunny and hot locations require a good pair of high-level UV-absorbing sunglasses because in those destinations, UV rays can cause severe eye damage. Also, over-exposure to UV rays can be extremely damaging, leading to cataracts, corneal sunburn, Pterygium, and potentially macular degeneration. As an alternative to lens-wearing, you might decide to buy prescription sunglasses.

Swimming With Lenses

To those who wear contact lenses in water, you may have some complications. When swimming with lenses on you can contract bacterial infections as pathogens find their way behind the lens and this is something that should be avoided when possible. In addition, water can dislodge lenses and lead to a tight feeling and intense discomfort.

One solution is to avoid wearing contact lenses when swimming. Instead, you should buy prescription goggles – these protect your eyes from bacteria and at the same time correct your vision. If finding prescription goggles is not possible, the other solution would be to wear regular goggles over your contact lenses. If you decide to try this solution, make sure that goggles fit well and prevent water from leaking in. And if you feel that you have to wear lenses in the water, try using daily disposable varieties, this way you reduce the amount of time that dirt and bacteria can spend on the lens. Once done in the water, dispose of the lenses immediately and put a fresh pair in.

Most of these tips are things you’ve probably already known, but they are simple and worth knowing because they will make your trip more enjoyable and your life while traveling easier!