7 Eye Care Essentials Every Savvy Traveler Should Have

Wondering how to take care of your eyes best when you’re traveling? You’ve come to the right place. Eye care is essential for female travelers, especially considering that women are 12% more likely to develop certain eye conditions than men. This can even lead to vision impairment or loss. That’s why it’s essential to be informed on the best ways to care for your precious eyes. 

The risks are even higher for you as a female traveler since you are exposed to more elements and situations. The American Academy of Opthalmology states that eye emergencies are common among travelers. After all, travel includes many unfavorable circumstances for the eyes, like the dry air in an airplane cabin, salty beach water, and prolonged exposure to the sun. These are only some of the major reasons you must be better prepared the next time you plan a trip.
Fortunately, there are ways for you to protect your eyes when you travel. Below are some essentials you can bring as extra eye care precautions for your next trip.

Eye drops

You should be careful about starting your trip on the wrong foot because symptoms of dry eyes can begin as early as the plane takes off. Most airplane cabins have dry air that can irritate the eyes and cause dryness, which may be painful for those who use contacts. Moreover, women have drier eyes than men due to hormone fluctuations. These hormones can also affect the eyes’ tear production, essential for moisture. To combat this, you should pack hydrating eye drops throughout the trip. Many brands like LubriTears and Celluvisc create artificial tears with thicker consistency for longer-lasting saturation. These are convenient to bring, so you can use these to experience relief whenever your eyes feel dry during a trip. Just make sure you pack extras of prescription drops, as the same prescription may not be recognized or available overseas.

Contact solution

Contacts require special care. Namely, you’ll have to bring an accompanying contact solution for maintenance. This solution will disinfect your contacts overnight to be ready for use in the morning. Many of these solutions also have moisturizing qualities that will make your contacts feel soothing to sensitive eyes once worn. On a trip, regardless of how long you’ll be away, it’s best to bring your solution so you can rinse your contacts regularly. Even if you use dailies, having a solution can help prep your contacts for your day ahead. Just by ensuring your contacts are properly maintained, you can enjoy clear and comfortable vision during your trip.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses aren’t just for style; they’re functional as well. Most notably, they offer protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. These rays have been proven to cause several eye diseases, such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Wearing carefully designed women’s sunglasses can prevent the development of these diseases and enhance your vision in bright environments. This is because leading brands like Ray-Ban include features like a polarized coating that reduces glare and alleviates squinting — a handy feature for visiting coastal areas with lots of sand. Sun damage is worse in a beach environment like this because sand reflects 20% of the sun’s UV rays. This is especially important because, as of 2023, more than 15% of women travel solely for beach escapes. Thus, you can protect your eyes from the sun while traveling by wearing sunglasses.

Swimming goggles

As mentioned above, 8 of 10 tourist vacations involve sunny coastal areas. That comes as no surprise as the world is full of beautiful seaside locations, such as the sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean or the striking pink beaches of Indonesia, which are at the top of every traveler’s dream destinations. However, swimming anywhere can increase the risk of infection or conjunctivitis, which is more common among women – both can quickly ruin an exciting trip. 

You can easily prevent this by wearing swimming goggles. Using goggles that fit your face, like Speedo Women’s Vanquishers, you will have a watertight seal around your eyes that will allow you to see underwater while ensuring they stay protected. Aside from saltwater, these goggles can also prevent issues in pools with bacteria or excessive amounts of chlorine. Many goggles come in cute colorways and sleek silhouettes, so you don’t have to settle for bland or bulky options.

Eye wash solution

Off-roading, hiking, and surfing are some of the most popular recreational tourist activities but contribute to 20% of tourism-related injuries annually. Tourists are exposed to harmful elements like dirt, sand, and other debris. Usually, the first instinct is to rub the eyes to try and get the irritant out, but doing this can tear the cornea and lead to vision impairment. This is why packing a bottle of eyewash on a trip is essential. These dedicated solutions can help decontaminate the eye by flushing out foreign particles. It’s also important to not just use any water for this process as it can increase the chances of infections. For this reason, always bring eye wash solutions on a trip to avoid mishaps.

Eye cream

Traveling and sightseeing are exciting, but stress is undoubtedly part of the journey. From long trips to tiring itineraries, your skin will surely feel it. This often manifests through wrinkles, dry skin, and dark circles. Moreover, studies have shown that women have a thinner epidermis, meaning their skin is more sensitive. Many skin experts recommend having a skincare routine to overcome this and specifically to include eye cream, as the skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the face. The first signs of aging and stress typically show there, so find a moisturizing eye cream that reduces puffiness and fine lines to protect your eyes.

Sleep mask

More than 60% of women already fail to achieve the recommended eight hours of sleep, but a 2022 study found that travelers even get way less sleep away from home. This can be due to factors like packed itineraries and different time zones. Regardless of the cause, insufficient sleep can lead to poor eye health or eye diseases like glaucoma. You can prevent this from happening simply by wearing a sleep mask. This blocks out artificial light and triggers melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep. So be sure to pack a sleeping mask when you go on another trip to get enough sleep and keep your eyes in excellent condition.

There you have it – 7 eye care essentials to take care of your vision while traveling. Follow these tips to protect your eyes on your next trip.  

Somto Ugwueze

Hi! I'm Somto. Two years ago, I stopped making excuses, ditched my indecisive friends, and started booking flights. Today, I'm a full-time solo traveler on a mission to inspire young women to seek new adventures.