With Summer in full force, I hope many of you have already been on some sort of vacation or have an upcoming trip planned. My wife Sarah and I are actually going to Florida this weekend for a quick little beach getaway. As my excitement builds, I wanted to share some helpful tips that will keep you seeing clearly no matter where it is you may be traveling to.
Schedule An Eye Exam Before Your Trip
If you are overdue for an eye exam, schedule an appointment with your optometrist at least two weeks before your vacation. It’s very possible that your prescription could have changed since your last visit without you noticing. This should give you enough time for new glasses to be made and for new contact lenses to arrive. The only time and place for blurry vision on your vacation should be after drinking too many adult beverages.
Pack Like A Pro
Whether you wear glasses or contact lenses, do yourself a favor and pack a spare pair of specs. If by some chance you lose or break your glasses while you are away, having a backup pair will come in handy. [Note: I recommend bringing a copy of your glasses or contact lens prescription with you. If you forget to pack it, our office is always happy to email it to you upon request.] Contact lens wearers can travel with ease by wearing daily disposable contacts. Daily disposable contacts don’t need to be stored in a case overnight so you don’t have to waste crucial packing space with bulky bottles of solution. The cabin pressure and low humidity on airplanes can cause dry, irritated eyes, so if you are flying to your destination, pack some preservative-free artificial tears (I recommend Refresh Optive) to keep your eyes lubricated.
Bonus Tip (Dr. Scheff’s Packing Secret): Introducing the Flip’n’Fold, my packing space-saver. This awesome little tool lets you fold your clothes perfectly and neatly pack them into your bag. 
Bring Your Shades
Regardless of where you are traveling, sunglasses need to be on everybody’s packing list. It is important to make sure your sunglasses block 99-100% of UVA and UVB light rays (may also be labeled as UV 400). For maximum coverage, consider wearing wraparound style frames paired with a wide-brimmed hat.
Safe Travels!
We hope these helpful tips keep you seeing perfectly on all of your future travels!
Roland Park Vision offers comprehensive eye exams to help diagnose eye problems such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Our doctors and staff have helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision. We are very passionate about educating patients and their families regarding prevention and treatment, to ensure that everyone has the best options and know-how when it comes to eye care. Click here to make an appointment!
