7 Contact Lens Care Tips for Travellers On-the-Go

Don’t let contact lenses or glasses hold you back from enjoying your travels to the fullest. To help you on your way, we’ve rounded up 7 contact lens care tips to help you stay healthy and make the most your next trip.

Most people love going on holiday, but a survey of people wearing glasses on holiday revealed that those needing sight correction often miss out on water sports, physical activities and fun in the pool. Of those surveyed, the most significant concerns included losing their contact lenses during a water sport activity.

The study commissioned by the Refractive Surgery Council also saw a third of people saying they would last less than a day in a foreign country without access to their contacts or glasses. Considering the importance of your contacts whilst travelling, we’ve put together some basic care tips for yourself and your lenses whilst travelling. With these, you’ll have more peace of mind and be able to let go and have more fun on your next adventure.

7 Contact Lens Care Tips for Travellers On-the-Go

1. Pack lighter by using Daily Disposables

Even if you are used to using monthly contact lenses at home, it may be worth investing in some disposables for your holiday. This will help you to pack lighter because it means you can leave your solution behind and any bulky contact lenses cases. It also makes it easier to carry a spare pare of disposables in your bag at all times for any unexpected lens breakages or losses. The downside to disposables is that they involve single-use plastics so they are a less sustainable method. However, they would bring you more convenience.

2. If travelling with monthly lenses, always bring solution

Don’t be tempted to use water or other “alternatives” to the official contact lens solution prescribed to you. The Association of Optometrists notes that many patients underestimate the importance of contact lens compliance, especially regarding the safety risks associated with improper use. Improper habits like topping up solutions and using expired products put you in danger of infection. 

Regarding travel, you should not move your solution into a different container to make it travel-sized. Moving it from its original container affects its sterility. Lens solution is one of the medical liquids allowed on flights, so you just need to declare it before hopping on the plane. When declared, you won’t even be saddled with the usual liquid allowance limit imposed on other fluids. It’s possible to buy smaller bottles of your solution from your eye care provider. 

3. Always pack extra pairs

Locating emergency lenses whilst travelling abroad could prove to be time-consuming and expensive, so it pays to be prepared by packing plenty of extra pairs. About 1/4 of lens wearers report losing them on trips, so having a few spares is essential. Having extra pairs will be even more useful when you get into situations that compromise the hygiene and usability of your current pair, such as getting them wet or damaged. If you’re planning a particularly active trip (such as a scuba diving holiday) you may need to account for 2-3 pairs of disposables per day. Buying contact lenses online makes this preparation process easy.

4. Bring other products to keep things hygienic

If you’re going backpacking, camping or hiking, home comforts such as soap, mirrors and running water won’t always be accessible to you. In order to make sure you’re always wearing your lenses hygienically, it’s worth creating a mini lens kit with all the extras you might need. This might include your contact case, lens solution, wipes to clean your hands, an extra pair, and potentially some eye drops. You can store these in a ziplock bag, but carrying a small storage pouch would be better to keep everything tight and protected. 

5. Glasses are still a great backup

No matter how prepared you are to wear your contact lenses hygienically whilst travelling, it’s definitely worth still packing a pair of glasses as a back up. Although unlikely, if you were to develop some sort of an eye infection whilst travelling, lenses would not be an option at all. Many lens wearers like to switch to their glasses in the evening before bed to give their eyes a bit of breathing space.

6. Remove lenses before swimming or showering

This one is definitely easier said than done, but best practice is to remove your lenses before swimming. As well as this, always aim to shower before inserting lenses in the morning. This is because this brings a higher risk of infection as waterborne parasites can get trapped in the lens, especially if the water you’re swimming in is not that clean. In general, water can also cause them to change shape and stick to the eyes. As you’re likely to be doing more swimming whilst travelling, this is definitely a tip to be aware of and stick to whenever possible.

If you plan to go scuba diving whilst travelling, it’s important you have good vision for the experience. If your able to keep your mask and eyes dry throughout the dive, wearing lenses should not be an issue. It would still be a good idea to change the lenses after completion of the dive.

If you do get water in your contacts while swimming, you should remove them immediately and soak them in contact solution for 24 hours. You should also see an optometrist or ophthalmologist if you experience any irritation or other symptoms. 

7. Best Dailies vs Monthly Lenses for travel

Here are two of the very best lenses on the market to wear whilst travelling. Travelista Editor Jessica Ruth Gibson has worn AquaComfort Plus dailies for 5+ years.

Dailies

AquaComfort Plus has boxed dailies in either 30 or 90 lenses, focusing on easy and thin application and blink-activated moisture, they’re perfect for travel. The compact boxes of 30 would be great to add to your luggage just as they are.

Monthlies

Everclear AIR is known for its extremely lightweight wear, which makes it more breathable and comfortable for extended periods. However, these features also make the lenses more prone to curling, so bring some extras with you. The last thing you want is to find yourself without an additional pair when you still have days or even weeks left on your trip.  

We hope these contact lens care tips helps you feel a little more prepared for travelling whilst wearing contact lenses. Check out more health and wellbeing tips for travellers in our wellbeing section.