Travelling with contact lenses

What are the best contact lenses to wear travelling?

Typically, most two weekly or monthly contact lens wearers find switching to daily disposables while they’re away on holiday a much more convenient option.

Travelling in the early hours, spending plenty of time in the sea, going to bed late and deviating from your usual routine can make wearing daily disposables a more sensible option, and one that means you won’t have to stick to your lens cleaning and storing routine.

How can I look after my contact lenses while on holiday?

While a lot of people prefer to switch to daily disposables for the short time they’re on holiday, if you’d prefer to wear your monthly or two weekly contact lenses then we can offer a few helpful tips.

1. Make sure to follow your usual contact lens cleaning routine even if your schedule is much more varied while you're away. Look for travel packs of multi-purpose solutions, which are easy to pack and are in compliance with airport liquid restrictions for hand luggage.
2. It's sometimes a good idea to leave your contact lens case by your bedside to remind yourself to remove your lenses even if you're going to bed late.
3. If you're lucky enough to be heading to the seaside on your holiday, you should be prepared for some of the adverse effects that the beach can have on your contact lenses. Eye drops are a great idea to keep your eyes hydrated, or to tackle any sand or dust that gets onto your contact lens. Drops typically come in 10ml bottles that abide by airport baggage restrictions.
4. Bring a small supply of solution with you when you're out for the day, just in case you need to thoroughly clean your lenses while you're away from the apartment.
5. Avoid wearing your contact lenses if you go swimming in the sea. However, if you must wear your lenses then it is extremely important to wear airtight swimming goggles to prevent an infection or irritation from water getting onto your contact lenses. After swimming with your contacts in, you should dispose of your lenses and apply a fresh set straight away, even if you think no water has gotten into your eyes.

Contact lens solution under 100ml

Current UK airport hand luggage regulations require that all liquids be no more than 100ml in volume, or else they cannot be bought onto the aircraft. Of course, they are allowed in checked-in baggage, but they’ll be confiscated if you attempt to carry them via hand luggage.

Fortunately, you can buy most solutions in supplies of 100ml or less, meaning you’ll have no problem taking them abroad with you even when you’re travelling through an airport.

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