Travelling with Contact Lenses and Glasses: A Packing Guide
Travelling with contact lenses and glasses smoothly comes down to packing the right supplies and a backup plan, since running out of solution or breaking your only pair of glasses is a genuine hassle mid-trip.
What to Pack for Contact Lens Wearers
- Enough solution for the full trip, in 100ml travel-size bottles for hand luggage, plus a small backup bottle in checked luggage on longer trips
- A spare pair of lenses, or a fresh box if you wear dailies, in case a lens tears or is lost
- Your prescription glasses as backup, even if you rarely wear them, in case of eye irritation from dry cabin air
- A travel-size lens case, replaced every few months regardless of travel, since cases harbour bacteria over time
Managing Dry Eyes on Flights
Cabin air is significantly drier than normal room air, which can make contact lenses uncomfortable on long flights. Lubricating eye drops, packed within the 100ml liquids limit, and switching to glasses for very long flights are both effective ways to manage this.
Crossing Time Zones With Daily or Extended-Wear Lenses
For daily disposable lenses, plan the day’s supply around your destination’s day rather than your departure time zone once you land, to avoid confusion over how many days a box should last. Extended-wear lens users should follow their optician’s replacement schedule regardless of time zone changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring contact lens solution through airport security?
Yes, contact lens solution counts as a liquid and must be in a container of 100ml or less, packed within your single transparent liquids bag along with any other liquids.
Should I wear glasses instead of contacts on long flights?
Many opticians recommend switching to glasses on very long flights, since dry cabin air can make extended contact lens wear uncomfortable, and glasses remove the risk of eye irritation from reduced blinking during sleep.
Choosing Dailies or Extended Wear for a Trip
For travellers who normally wear extended-wear or monthly lenses, some opticians recommend switching to daily disposables specifically for travel, since dailies remove the need to carry and refrigerate or store solution correctly in variable climates, and reduce infection risk in destinations with less reliable water quality for rinsing lens equipment. This is worth discussing with your optician ahead of a longer or more remote trip, rather than assuming your usual lens type is automatically the most practical choice while away.
What to Do If You Lose a Lens While Travelling
Losing a lens or running out of solution abroad is more common than many travellers expect, so knowing your options in advance helps. Most opticians can supply replacement lenses against a known prescription at short notice in major cities, and carrying a written copy of your prescription, rather than relying on memory, speeds this up considerably. Packing your prescription glasses as a genuine backup, not just an afterthought, means a lost lens is an inconvenience rather than a trip-disrupting problem.
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About the author: The Stony Port editorial team researches travel and packing tips to help UK travellers plan with confidence. This article is general information and not medical or optical advice.
