Contact Lens are convenient and necessary for some people. Only in the USA, more than 45 million people are wearing contacts. For people who travel and wear contact lenses, there is more to know, and many people are not aware of some basic travel tips for traveling with a contact lens. Make sure you check TSA for the allowed amounts of medically necessary liquids before your trips.
Here are 10 travel tips for contact lens wearers:
Can You Bring Contact Solution on a Plane
Buy a travel size bottle of solution. Transferring solution from a big bottle into a smaller bottle will introduce contaminants and put your eyes at risk for an infection.
You can pack a 2 oz bottle in your carry on. Pack larger bottles in your checked luggage.
Write Down Your Prescription
This is very important if you are traveling and just in case you need new lenses while traveling.
Take Your Lenses Out Before Going to the Beach
Water can contain organisms that cause a bad eye infection, so make sure you take your contact lens out to avoid eye infections caused by impure water.
Clean Storage Case
A case will keep them moist and free of contamination. Always bring an extra storage case.
A Pair of Glasses
Sometimes the place where you are traveling may have much dryer air or there may be allergens in the air. You should never put your contacts in your eyes if they’re irritated. In cases like these, it’s always a good idea to have your glasses as a backup.
Extra Pair of Contacts
If you don’t wear dailies, be sure to have a spare pair or two in your luggage just in case something happens to your first pair.
Sleeping on the Plane
If you plan on sleeping on the plane you definitely need to take your contacts out. Sleeping while wearing contacts is one of the worst things you can do.
The reason is that your eyes are already dry from the plane, and now sleeping restricts the oxygen getting to them and can cause microscopic tears in your cornea. Which can lead to a risk for an infection.
Shield Your Eyes from the Sun
You should take precautions to protect your eyes from exposure to dangerous UV rays. YOu can consider getting contact lenses with UV protection or wearing polarized sunglasses.
Consider Switching to Disposable Contact Lenses
If you’ll be visiting a place with less-than-ideal hygiene conditions, it is better to use daily disposable contact lenses.
With disposables, you can toss them each night without having to clean or store them.
Keep Your Contact Lens Solution in a Sealed Ziplock Bag
Always keep your contact lens solution in a sealed zip lock bag in your luggage, because the pressure on the airplane can cause containers to leak. This way you can prevent leaking in your other belongings in the luggage.
Flying with contact lenses is not complicated. You just need to plan ahead by buying TSA approved, travel-sized bottles of solution.
Put your contact solution in your carry-on. Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. If you sleep on the plane, take your contacts out first.
Don’t forget to check some of the other blog posts for more useful travel tips and destinations.
