Contact Lens Tips for Travelers

1. Try limiting your contact lens wear during a flight

First and foremost, try to wear your contact lenses less often during a flight. Disposable contact lenses are predominantly made of water, with some contact lenses containing up to 69% water content, which means your contact lenses will dry out and distort during a flight. You are recommended not to wear your contact lenses on a long haul flight and certainly wear them off if you plan to sleep on a long flight.

2. Stock up your supply before you depart

Although most brands of contact lenses are easily available in most global cities, the dispensing laws may be different. You will most likely be asked to have an eye test before an optical retailer supplies your product. When you know you are about to travel, it is prudent to ensure you have topped up your contact lens supply before you are away from home.

3. Pack several contact lenses in your overnight bag.

If you are taking carry-on baggage, it is always a good idea to place some of your contact lens supplies to your carry-on bag. There is nothing worse than discovering that when you get to your destination, your contact lenses, alongside the rest of your luggage, have to wind up in a different destination. You may consider keeping some contact lenses with you at all times as a kind of travel insurance if you are separated from your full supply.

4. Bring daily contact lenses to free up packing space

Daily contact lenses are seemingly the most comfortable way to wear contact lenses when you go traveling. For safety reasons in many countries, travelers are restricted to minimal quantities of liquid in their baggage (usually no more than 100ml). Unfortunately, this also includes a contact lens solution. That is why traveling with daily contact lenses instead of reusable lenses means you will not have to worry about saving contact lens solution in your baggage, and will give you some additional space that you can substitute for something else.

5. Make sure to keep them clean

You may arrive at a foreign place, but it is not an excuse for you to let foreign stuff build up on your hands. While traveling in highly trafficked public spaces, you have bigger chances to catch bacteria or other foreign matter on your fingertips and hands. It is a fact that being exposed to air-conditioned environments can dry out your lenses. This dryness can formulate the temptation to adjust your lenses mid-wear, which can lead to any microscopic stuff that was on your hands to be transported to your eyes. To keep the sterility of the environment around your eye, it is a good idea always to keep hand sanitiser and tissues handy when traveling. This is done to make sure that you touch your lenses with super clean fingers. In addition, to help reduce unnecessary finger contact with your eyes, you can also carry a compact mirror to help spot your contact lens insertion, extraction, and adjustment with more accuracy and cleanliness.

6. Let your eyes enjoy a vacation, too

While you are travelling, you might also consider giving your eyes a vacation as well. Racing with different time zones and surroundings, many travellers get less quantity and quality of sleep, which can result in uncomfortable and unhealthy eye conditions. You might have a significant difference with your traveling with contact lens experience if you get a good 8-10 hours sleep, take a day off wearing contact lenses, and keep your body hydrated.

Planning to travel yet you need an excellent pair of contact lenses for your trip? Get yours here!