Wearing contacts for longer trips

[Joey G]

I some times where contacts in my day to day life but have never wore them backpacking. My concern was not really knowing if my hands were clean when putting them in my eyes. I am curious to may try them this year.

I wanted to know if anyone has ever had an issue with contacts on longer trips ( 7-10 days )? Any tips for making sure you don’t get some bacteria in your eyes? I could try to get some that you keep in your eyes the entire time I guess.

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

I always hike with contacts, it has never been a problem.  Yeah, wash your hands first of course.  the hardest part for most people is inserting your contact without a mirror: it just takes practice.  My 2 cents.

[Mike C]

I have “rigid” contacts, and I found a company (HDS) that makes ones you can leave in for 7 days. Most of my trips are 8 days or less. When I did go out for 12 days, I only took them out 1 night, and then just washed my hands well.

I carry a small plastic mirror, because I once had a contact move off the center of my eye, and had to ask someone to tell me which side it had moved to. That may not be an issue with soft lenses.

[Steve Thompson]

I’ve worn soft contacts, the 30 day disposables.  For weeklong trips will keep them in full time, sleeping in them as well. (never more than 7 days though) Use plenty of drops to keep them moist throughout the day otherwise they can be hell to remove.  On longer trips will have an extra set or two, or in a staged resupply bucket.

When wearing contacts backpacking my eye doctor recommends I carry polysporin ointment which can be used in the eye should an infection develop.

[David Thomas]

I have such a mild prescription, I prefer glasses when outdoors.  It’s some physical protection from branches at night and UV protection at elevation, although the contact lens user could use sunglasses for that.  When I’ve worn contact outdoors in the western US, the wind-blown dust was annoying and took longer to clear from my eyes than without contacts.

My wife always wears hers every day so brings her travel kit along.  And brings eyeglasses too for evenings, midnight pottie runs, and first thing in the morning.  She’s a physician so the hand washing is already ingrained.  Like a muslim facing Mecca five times a day, there are ceremonies involved, but I shut up and putter around doing other stuff during those times.

[Roger Caffin]

I agree with DT about the value of glasses for eye safety in the bush (backcountry).
I do wear contacts when skiing, as goggles over glasses is not functional.

Cheers

[JayC]

I have worn contacts on longer trips (>20 days) fine.  I once asked my eye doctor about it, and he said my eyes are “not a sterile environment” and don’t worry too much about dirty hands.  I bring baby shampoo (so if I don’t get it entirely off my hands it doesn’t irritate my eyes)  and wash my hands, but often my trips are in the winter and washing my hands is a bit hard, so a lot of time I don’t worry about it.   I use dailies, but have done bi-weeklies fine too.   It helps if you can put in the contacts without a mirror, which allows me to put in my contacts in my sleeping bag, which is very helpful in cold (<-20f ) weather. YMMV.

[Roger Caffin]

It helps if you can put in the contacts without a mirror, which allows me to put in my contacts in my sleeping bag,
Absolutely!

Cheers

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