The time has come for that exciting trip, that dream vacation you have been waiting for the entire year. Or maybe you are going on an important business meeting. Nothing can ruin those events quite like eye related problems while on the road which is why we have compiled a list of 20 things you can do for basic eye care, most specially if you have contact lenses, things to take into account when traveling.Travel eye care is important when you are abroad.Aside from keeping you comfortable, it will keep you away from doctors,here are some tips.
Recommended Read: How to Protect Your Skin While Traveling
Eye-Care When Traveling
#1 : Clean eyes are happy eyes.
We all know how busy some traveling can get and in most cases coming across the opportunity to even brush your teeth in the morning is a luxury.Remember to find time to wash your eyes with clean water to avoid picking up an unwanted bacterial infection. And of course wash your hands thoroughly before washing your eyes.
#2: Eyes need rest too.
Sleep is indeed a phenomenal cure for almost anything and does really well at preventing a lot of illnesses. So make sure you get enough quality sleep (preferably 8-10 hours). Good sleep reduces physical fatigue and eyestrain which can have long term detrimental effects to your eyesight
#3: Remember to wear sunglasses.
Ultraviolet rays are invisible killers,not only because they can cause cancer on the skin but they also damage the retina. This can happen even if you don’t look directly at the sun. So remember to wear sunglasses during your days out exploring while on vacation and keep in mind that even on cloudy days, UV rays still can go through cloudy skies. Depending on where you are visiting the UV levels could vary. Bring along a pair just to be safe.
#4: Hydration,Hydration,Hydration.
Well it’s a no-brainer that every living thing needs water to survive at the end of the day, us humans are about 85 percent water so make sure you get at least 6 to 8 cups of water a day to keep your body well hydrated and your eyes healthy too. After all the main composition of the eye is water so you can imagine how fundamental getting enough of it is.
#5: Remember to blink enough.
Be it an exciting safari through Africa or an enchanting adventure through Italy, oftentimes we get taken in the sights that generally we forget to blink enough and this causes the top layer if our eyes to get dehydrated which causes discomfort that could only last for a short time or even for the whole day. So if you want to keep your travels as comfortable as possible remember to blink,the Eiffel Tower is not going anywhere anytime soon.
#6: Remember your regular eye checkups before you travel.
This is one aspect that is greatly undervalued especially when going on lengthy trips. It is generally recommended to have your eyes checked every 2 years so that in any event that you do travel frequently, then you don’t to worry about finding an eye clinic at your destination and can instead focus on adventuring.
# 7: Remember to take regular breaks for your eyes.
Indeed this mostly applies to people who are working while traveling remember not to stare at the laptop screen for too long as end eyestrain can definitely hinder the rest of the business trip. As a general rule of thumb remember to look away at something that is at least 20 feet away every 20 minutes of staring at the screen.
# 8: Wash your hands before handling contact lenses.
Especially in public areas such as airports or restaurants it is important that you manage to wash your hands well before inserting or taking out your contact lenses. Especially in airports minimize touching around your eyes and even handling your glasses.
# 9: Always carry your prescription.
The first thing to pop in mind is you prescription for contact lenses and in fact that it is important to always carry a spare prescription with you in case one gets lost but the same applies even if you wear glasses just in case of an unforeseen accident where the par can no longer be used and you need to get a replacement from a nearby Optometrist.
# 10: Have your contact lenses renewed before traveling
It can be quite a rush before traveling to make sure you have everything you need but it is often wise to have your contact lenses renewed before going on a vacation to avoid infections
Checklists item and tip 11: Take proper care of your contact lenses.
Remember that at end of the day it’s the fundamentals that make a big difference so take note to follow your Optometrists and frequency to take care of your lenses. As contact lens care is just as important for good eye care.
# 11: Know the branded equivalent of your lenses.
Most optometrists will prescribe you a lens that is unique to them but it is often a good idea to find an internationally branded substitute in case a replacement pair of lenses is needed.
# 12: Limit contact lens wearing during flights.
Not only because generally you do sleep on the plane in most cases and sleeping with contact lenses is not recommended as it restricts natural eye breathing but also during flight, humidity levels are low and as such result in the lens distorting and drying
# 13: Keep in mind the conditions you will be in.
One can esily fly without contact lenses in most cases but the problem lies that once they land in some countries that are particularly dry. If such is the case remember to use lens re-hydrating drops such as Bion tears.
# 14: Remember the restriction on liquids during travel.
It is good to remember that for airline safety reasons it is prohibited to have liquids that exceed 100 ml as carry on luggage so make sure to get a 90 ml bottle especially for traveling.
Checklists item and tip 15: Bring extra supplies.
Just because you can’t travel with more than 100 ml of lens cleaning liquid in carry on luggage doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take an extra few bottles in the plane underbelly luggage.
# 16: Remember to only dive with goggles.
Even if you don’t necessarily look underwater always have a pair of swimming googles on as nothing is more frustrating than losing a lens in the middle of a fun day swimming
# 17: Season does matter.
When it comes to traveling and eye care it is advisable to avoid traveling during spring as most countries do have a hectic pollen season and especially if you are allergic to pollen it can cause a massive level of eye discomfort.
# 18: Avoid dusty destinations.
This tip applies to not only those who wear contact lenses but also those who don’t as dusty places can not only irritate the respiratory system but cause inflammation to the eyes so generally whenever possible avoid overly dusty areas to visit.
# 19: Pay attention to any symptoms that may arise.
It is good to know of nearby eye clinics and optometrists in the areas you are traveling to but most of all remember to pay attention to any symptoms of inflammation and go to an Optometrist as soon as possible to avoid the condition getting worse.
# 20: Keep a good diet of Vitamin A.
We all know that traveling can be expensive and in most cases we are always in a hurry to be to the next place so we just pick whatever we manage to find at a nearby restaurant. But before indulging in your next overseas meal make sure you at least get something that contains Vitamin A which is found in Carrots,Mangoes and even Tomatoes. Omega 3 and 6 are also good for the eyes so make sure to also eat enough fish or at least take supplements.
