When it comes to caring for our eyes, it’s easy to take them for granted – we use them every waking moment, after all. However, eye care is essential, and it doesn’t matter whether you are going on vacation to tropical climes or simply spending a night away from home – it’s important that you know how to treat them right, especially if you are using glasses and/or contacts.
Part of this care comes from common sense. We know that we should:
- Wear protective lenses such as transition lenses or sunglasses while outdoors in the sun; brimmed hats can also help generate some shade. If you’re at the beach often and worry about damaging your eyewear, then have a cheap pair as backup.
- Take a 5 to 15 minute break every 45 minutes or so to refresh the eyes when using a computer over a long period of time – even though it’s your vacation, we know you’ll be spending time uploading those great holiday shots to social media!
- Regularly use eye drops for dry eyes and keeping eyes clean, etc.
- If you have sensitive eyes, it’s important that you know your limits. Will watching a movie on the big screen trigger discomfort? What about playing video games? How much time will you be spending out in the sun?
Take care of your accessories
If you require regular checkups with your optometrist and plan on going on an extended vacation, it’s a good idea to make sure your prescription will be valid for that period of time. Any imminent surgeries should also be dealt with, along with the proper care and recovery post-treatment. Slade & Baker Vision, a cataract surgery in Houston, recommends that patients allow themselves plenty of time to adjust to the changes in their eyes before exposing them to the elements on an extreme scale (i.e., don’t go downhill skiing the day after your eyes are operated on).
When traveling, make sure that you have a sturdy glasses and/or contacts case, contact treatment solution, and cleaning wipes. Small travel-sized mouthwash bottles are very useful for glasses cleaning solution (contact lens cleaning solution should never be removed from its original, sterile container) as well as convenient cleaning wipes that can be used immediately. Spare glasses and sunglasses should be stored in carry-on luggage while on the go to ensure protection.
Spare contacts and/or glasses are also necessary. These are very handy when being away from home for longer periods of time in case they get misplaced or broken and you need to get to an optician. The second pair doesn’t have to be prime quality; they can be a cheaper model with the same prescription. Once again, common sense rules apply, especially when it comes to habit: remember to change your contacts and clean them regularly, and use clean hands for washing, storing, and applying them. Whatever you do, don’t leave them lying around – it’s easy to become complacent about our everyday wear, but glasses and contacts should always be in their case when not in use.
Remember that while we are on vacation, our eyes aren’t – so it’s important that we stay on the ball when it comes to our vision.
