If you want the perfect vacation experience, the golden rule is to stay safe and healthy on your travels. After all, you don’t want any sicknesses, injuries, or other accidents to mar your trip. That’s why you’ll want to take precautions like making sure your vaccinations are in order, packing a first aid kit, and buying travel insurance.
In all the hustle and bustle of taking these steps, though, you may forget to consider your eyes. They’re the windows through which you’ll see, explore, and ultimately enjoy new destinations—which is why any issues with them can significantly affect your next vacation. Want to maintain the best vision possible on your escape? These tips will ensure you won’t forget to take care of your eyes while traveling.
Pack Extra Vision Aids
If you need vision correction, your eyes are more likely to be stressed on your trip. OnePoll and the Refractive Surgery Council find that many Americans skip vacation activities due to their eyewear because they’re scared of breaking or losing it. However, you shouldn’t let that stop you from enjoying your break. Instead, follow the example of a small group of OnePoll’s respondents by packing spare glasses and contact lenses for traveling. Simply getting cheap frames or bulk-buying disposable lenses will help you cover your bases if the eyeware-worst happens. That’s especially true if you can’t buy new vision aids where you are.
Protect Your Eyes From the Sun
The sun’s UV rays can slowly damage your eyes over time, potentially leading to permanent blindness as you age. Regardless of whether you’re in a wintry wonderland or tropical destination, the sun’s glare can reflect off the snow or the water and cause photokeratitis, a painful eye sunburn that can lead to temporary vision loss. To prevent eye issues from ruining your vacation, it’s therefore crucial to buy the right kind of sunglasses. Their first and foremost job will be to provide 100% UV protection, and from there, brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley offer additional features to suit your needs and preferences. You can get prescription sunglasses if you need vision correction and polarized ones specifically designed to cut out glare. You can even get sunglasses made of sustainable materials if you’re into eco-friendly products, like we are—or extremely lightweight models that float so they won’t get lost at the beach.
Prepare for Dry Eyes While Flying
Airplanes pump dry air into the cabins, meaning you’ll be sitting in a low-humidity environment on your flight. The longer that flight is, the faster your tears will evaporate, making you more vulnerable to dry eyes. That can cause a number of vision issues. Your eyes may itch, sting, or burn or you may experience blurring and increased light sensitivity. In the worst-case scenario, people who wear contacts and nap on the plane can get eye infections—marring how you’ll experience the rest of your vacation before you even land. Fortunately, you can avoid all that with the proper precautions. Bring eye drops that you can use on your eyes once they feel gritty. On the plane, you can reposition vents that release air at high speeds and dry your eyes out even faster. And if you wear contacts, consider switching to glasses while on flights.
Take Breaks on Road Trips
Improper eye care can be one of the most common road trip blunders people make. Regardless of the length of your drive, not taking breaks means you’re missing opportunities to hit up friends in the towns on your route or check out famous roadside eateries and attractions. However, there can be eye health impacts as well. Long hours of driving can strain your eyes and cause fatigue—affecting how well you see the road, adding to any other kind of tiredness you’re feeling in your body, and putting you at a higher risk of accidents. By simply integrating breaks into your itinerary, you can stay safe on your drive and even make the most out of your road trip.
Don’t Ignore Vision Changes
As you add these tips to your to-do list before you head on your next trip, keep one thing in mind: looking out for your eyes should continue even after your departure. Vision changes, like blurred eyesight, may be caused by the diet and exercise changes you make on vacation—and they may point to other underlying health issues, like stroke and diabetes. So if you experience anything unusual, call your usual optometrist or head to a local specialist. Get examined as soon as possible, and you can make the necessary adjustments to enjoy the rest of your trip healthily and stress-free.
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