Travelling with contact lenses

Holidays are perhaps the most wonderful time of the year. The excitement builds as soon as the suitcases are packed. But there are important things to consider before you go - especially if you wear contact lenses. Questions about hygiene and care at the beach or packing for a flight are crucial. To help you prepare for your holiday, we've put together the most important information and valuable tips.

Travel tips

Whether you're flying, driving or taking the train to your well-earned holiday, there are a few basic things to remember. For example, there are strict security regulations on flights. You can only carry a maximum of one litre of liquids in small containers of up to 100 millilitres in your hand luggage. This means that contact lens solutions in your carry-on must be travel-sized.

Another thing contact lens wearers should be aware of, especially on flights but also in cars and trains, is that dry air can irritate the eyes. Carry rewetting drops in your hand luggage, drink plenty of water throughout the flight, and blink regularly to distribute the tears evenly. It's even better to switch to glasses during the flight, as they are a more comfortable alternative for your eyes in this environment.

If you're travelling by plane, car or train, make sure the air conditioning isn't blowing directly on your face, as this can quickly lead to dry eyes.

Tip: Check out our guide to dry eyes and contact lenses for more valuable advice and tips.

Tips for holidays

Daily disposable lenses are a good choice for short trips such as business trips or weekend breaks lasting two to four days. You can leave the cleaning solutions at home and save space in your luggage, which is often limited to hand luggage for short trips.

Contact lenses for summer holidays

Diving into the sea or pool on a beach holiday can be fun, but it shouldn't be without precautions. When swimming, especially in rough waves, wear goggles to protect your eyes and lenses from salty or chlorinated water, which contains bacteria and other substances that can stick to and under your lenses, causing eye irritation. If you swim without goggles, wear soft contact lenses as they are less likely to be washed out of your eyes than hard lenses. At the beach, be careful not to get sand in your eyes as the small grains can get under the lens and irritate your eyes or scratch the lens.

If you're spending your holiday at the beach or pool, consider using daily disposable lenses. Hygiene is less of an issue as you will be disposing of the lenses each evening. Daily disposables are also a good option if you are travelling to exotic countries where hygiene standards may be different from home.

Contact lenses for winter holidays

Contact lenses are a great alternative to glasses for winter sports. They won't slip, fall off or break. When skiing or snowboarding, always wear goggles to protect your eyes from wind, sunlight and injury. Off the slopes, sunglasses are essential as snow reflects sunlight and provides additional protection for your eyes.

Conclusion: Top tips for travelling with contact lenses

• Always take an extra pair or two with you. If your lenses get lost or damaged, you'll have a spare pair at hand.

• Don't forget your contact lens solution when you travel.

• Only carry travel size solutions in your hand luggage.

• Re-wetting drops can help prevent dry eyes when travelling.

• Sunglasses are a must to protect your eyes from UV rays.

Buy contact lenses online at Mister Spex

You can buy contact lenses from the comfort of your own home at Mister Spex. Our online store offers a wide range of contact lenses for men and women.