Contacts or glasses?

[ginkgo]

Hey all!!
Here's a question for all you half-blind people out there like me... should I thru-hike with contact lenses or glasses? I wear contacts (2 week disposable ones) all the time at home, and generally like them better, and my glasses prescription is really old so it's not as clear.... But contacts are harder to take care of, and I don't want to get some weird funky thing in my eye.... Do most people go with glasses, or is there a safe and healthy way to bring contacts?

[mmais68569]

I also wear contacts & glasses & when I hike I carry my glasses leave the contacts at home. They are just to much trouble.

Mike

[Hikes in Rain]

Keeps coming up, and the answer is still the same. If you wear your contacts in civilization, then why wouldn't you wear them in the woods?? I'm more than half blind, I'm legally blind without some sort of corrective lens. Contacts have been my choice since I was 15 and could get them for the first time. If you're like me, if there's a fire, you're out the window with your contacts and your pants. Hard pressed, forget the pants! All you really need to know is how to wash your hands!

Do I really need to tell you how to do that? Because if you do, honestly, I'd be more than happy to show you how. It's obvious, but sometimes the most obvious things escape us.

Short answer, of course I'll wear my contacts. It's the normal thing for me. Why not??

[Speer Carrier]

Glasses over contacts because a lot less trouble. lasik surgery best option if you can afford it.

[Sierra Echo]

I too wear glasses and 2 week disposibles.
I plan on asking the eye dr to recommend some extended wear contacts for when I do my section hike. I HATE hiking with glasses on!

[handlebar]

I wore these on all my long distance hikes. I find them very comfortable to keep in my eyes continuously for as long as 30 days. I use rewetting drops morning and evening and am careful to never touch my eyes with my fingers.

They only had single vision lenses (branded Night & Day) when I did the AT and PCT, but for the CDT they came out with multi-focal lenses.

I had tried the Bausch and Lomb extended wear multi-focal lenses but they seemed to cause infections. When I got the Air Optix, I got the eye doctor to give me a Rx for an antibiotic just in case I got an infection, but I never needed it with these.

I can't tell you how great it is to wake up in the middle of the night while cowboy camping and be able to see the stars overhead without having to fumble around for glasses.

[Ashevillian]

Glasses, I leave the contacts at home.

[bflorac]

I have one day disposable contacts but for hiking, I wear my glasses and take a 2 pair of contacts as a backup in case something goes wrong with my glasses. (I would have a real problem finding the trail without something).

[Rick500]

Regular glasses. I'm paranoid with contacts that I'll get a speck of dirt in there and get an eye infection or a scratched cornea or something.

Glasses, on the other hand, are subject to fogging, but Cat Crap takes care of that.
http://www.campmor.com/cat-crap-anti...ci_sku=83081WC

[WILLIAM HAYES]

I hike with contacts and always carry a spare-glasses get wet in the rain etc and can be broken easily so i just use contacts and never had a problem-i do carry glasses in case of lost contacts

[valiweva]

Glasses with fold-up back-ups.

[daddytwosticks]

I wish I could use contacts! Glasses are great in all but the hot, humid summer. It's really bad when your lenses get fogged up and sweat coated. Rainy days are the pits too...glasses are there to help you see better. Not at times like above!

[skinewmexico]

Contacts worked OK for me until I had lasix.

[Montana Mac]

I have one day disposable contacts but for hiking, I wear my glasses and take a 2 pair of contacts as a backup in case something goes wrong with my glasses. (I would have a real problem finding the trail without something).

I did loose my glasses on my hike. I could not read my trail guide or maps without them! I would use the macro setting on my camera to take a picture of the trail guide then zoom in on it so I could read it. Did that for two days until I met a hiker that had an extra pair of fold up reading glasses that he gave me

[TheChop]

I have a hard enough time with contacts in civilization where I have ready access to mirrors, running water and showers. I can't imagine trying to put them in on the trail after being out for a week or so. I might just have really sensitive eyes though.

[malowitz]

Like Handelbar, I got AirOptix contacts in prep for my thru in 2010. I LOVE THEM - I think it is like having had Lasik w/out the risks. You just keep them in for 30 days straight. You can take them out and put them in a case like other lenses if you want. Unlike Handlebar, I have never needed the re-wetting drops. I started w/them on my thru incase the conditions outdoors/allergies etc caused any problems but they didn't. Before 1/2 way through the hike, I ditched the back-up lens solution, case, and rewetting drops. I did keep glasses as back/for nights I changed out the lenses and always made sure I had at least 1 extra pair of lenses until the very end.

[darkage]

I personally, and only speaking for myself ... I carry two options ... In the summer and rain, i hate hiking in glasses ... So i carry my contacts, wake up in the morning ... toss on my glasses ... breakfast, pop in the contacts .. pack up and go ... I carry a small bottle of contact hydration drops for break times just in case they dry up from wind ... only the reason i carry sunglasses to help them not dry up in exposed windy ridges ... If i know i won't be carrying my contacts for some reason, its winter temps or i'm only out for a weekend ... i will still carry two pairs of glasses ... I could prolly see my way out IF i had too, but walking fuzzy eyed for miles over roots and rock is NOT my sense of a good time ... Contacts/glasses ... glasses/glasses ... whatever, i would just carry two pairs of whichever.

[darkage]

I did loose my glasses on my hike. I could not read my trail guide or maps without them! I would use the macro setting on my camera to take a picture of the trail guide then zoom in on it so I could read it. Did that for two days until I met a hiker that had an extra pair of fold up reading glasses that he gave me

My point exactly - ... 2 options, all times.

[Hikes in Rain]

Agreed. Those of us who are viaully challenged need multiple redundancy. The contacts I'm wearing, a spare pair, and my glasses. (Someone on these fora told me about a crushproof plastic case at the Dollar General that weighs a fraction of an ounce. Even comes in a bright turquoise color that even I could see without visual aids, should I drop it!) And, worst comes to worst, I know how to approximate my prescription by punching the appropriate sized hole in a piece of paper. (I'm extremely nearsighted) Makes me look even more like a dork than I usually do, but it'd keep me from bumping into trees until I could get help.

[JokerJersey]

FWIW, I used contacts exclusively during both my deployments in Iraq and the conditions were filthy. I never had a problem, never lost one, and never got an infection because I always washed my hands first. I'm taking mine on the trail as well.