Travelling is one of life’s great pleasures. Whether you’re eagerly counting down to a relaxing beach holiday or planning a city break, exploring new countries is an inspiring experience. But if you wear contact lenses, a little preparation goes a long way.
Looking after your eyes is just as important for a successful trip as remembering your passport. Just as you plan ahead for flights and long journeys, you need to be ready for any eye-related situation that might arise while you’re away from home.
Our tips for contact lens wearers will help you travel stress-free, whether you’re hitting the road or boarding a plane.
Pack your eye care essentials
Wherever you’re going and however you get there, make room in your bag for the following eye care essentials:
- Enough contact lenses for the entire trip, plus a few spares, so you never run out
- A sufficient supply of your prescribed solution (travel-size lens solutions are available)
- Your lens case, if you wear bi-weekly or monthly disposable lenses
- Your glasses, in case you need to remove your lenses for any reason
- Sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection
- A note of your lens prescription details, in case you need to buy replacements while you’re away
Travelling with daily disposable lenses is practical, as you won’t need to pack any cleaning products. Daily disposables are also a convenient option if you’ll have limited access to hygiene facilities during your journey.
Travelling by car
Long car journeys can be tiring. As the miles rack up and the sun starts to dip, your eyes may feel fatigued. To give yourself and your eyes a chance to rest, take regular breaks and share the driving if possible.
Wearing sunglasses when you’re outside in bright conditions is important, as they protect your eyes from harmful UV rays and help delay the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. Keep them close to hand when driving to shield your eyes from sun glare on the windscreen. On a hot summer’s day you’ll likely have the air conditioning on — but be aware that this can dry out your eyes. Sunglasses can help with this too.
Travelling by plane
We all know the pleasures of modern air travel: films, snacks, drinks, and reclining seats (do check the person behind doesn’t mind first).
If you’re a fan of the transcontinental nap, don’t forget to remove your lenses and switch to glasses before boarding. Sleeping in contact lenses increases the risk of eye infection, unless you’ve been prescribed lenses specifically approved for overnight or extended wear.
Glasses also protect your eyes from the dry cabin air, which can cause discomfort. To relieve dry eyes, pack travel-size eye drops in your hand luggage. Airline security regulations generally allow contact lens solutions and eye drops on board if they are under 100ml. To avoid any leaks, pop bottles into a zip-lock bag.
Swimming with contact lenses
In short — don’t! If you plan to swim on holiday, prescription swimming goggles are highly recommended. Bacteria found in seawater and pools can cause serious problems if they come into contact with your lenses, so it simply isn’t worth the risk.
Keeping your eyes healthy and safe on holiday is easy with our range of eye care travel accessories and daily disposable lenses.